Church Planter Interview - Pastor Mikey Lynch

I recently got the chance to ask Pastor Mikey Lynch a few questions about his experience as a planter in Australia. Check out his Blog here.

1. What compels you to live in Tasmania :)?

I was born here and my family moved back here when I was in late high school. I would kind of like to live in Melbourne... or New York... one day, but for now it seems right to be here. For quite a while Nikki and I were thinking about working as missios in France, but as the church planting ministry developed here, it seemed this is where we should be.

2. What is the top three pieces of advice you would share with an Aussie Planter?

i. Take a lot of time to get to know your context. Don't be presumptuous.
ii. Be patient and look to God for approval. It'll possibly take 3 years to get anywhere.
iii. We don't just pray for the work; prayer is the work.

3. What is the top three pieces of advice you would share with young bible teachers?

i. Spend time in the text. The best illustrations and application will come from there.
ii. Learn the art of public speaking: practise gestures, tounge twisters, pitch and pace; imitate lots of other preachers; get interested in language.
iii. Become a people watcher: get fascinated with what makes them tick.

4. What five books would you recommend that you have read over the last few years.

i. Resurrection and Moral Order by Oliver O'Donnovan - we gotta have good ethical thinking to reach Australians I reckon.
ii. Planting Missional Churches by Ed Stetzer - lots of good stuff here, as well as some weird American bits.
iii. Promoting the Gospel by John Dickson - a compelling, Australian vision for biblical, holistic, church evangelism.
iv. Manhood by Steve Biddulph - not a Christian book, but plenty of goodies there for thinking about Australian masculinity to help you understand yourself.
v. The Holy Trinity by Robert Letham - a broad, deep, gentle textbook on trinitarian theology.

5. What do you see as the greatest challenges facing Australian Reformed Evangelical Church Planters?

i. Evangelism is slow and hard but central to our task. We must not devolve into chasing after Christians, or only reaching the de-churched.
ii. We must not only have biblical doctrine, but thoroughly biblical models of ministry.
iii. There is great theological and moral value in maintaining those frustrating relationships with Christians outside our circles. That's why denominations can be so good for us.