Just as vitamin C is essential to keep the human body strong and healthy, so also these 7 “Vitamin Cs” are crucial to every church planter who wants to fulfill God’s purpose. Without these, our efforts in church planting will grow weak, just like a body without nutrition. Our long-term ministry will lack impact and fruitfulness. So what are these spiritual “Vitamin Cs”?
1. CONNECTION
This is where everything begins. Do you have a living, vibrant relationship with God? Are you daily walking in fellowship with the Holy Spirit and growing deeper in your intimacy with the Lord? Jesus succeeded in ministry because He always stayed connected to the Father (John 5:19). He only did what He saw the Father doing.
Also, how is your relationship with your spouse and children? Ministry begins at home (1 Timothy 3:4-5). If you fail at home, your ministry cannot stand strong. What about your relationship with fellow ministers and spiritual mentors? Do you have spiritual accountability? Are you walking in unity with other believers and leaders? A disconnected leader becomes a danger to himself and to others.
2. COMMITMENT
More than 50% of Christian leaders drop out of ministry within 10 years. Why? Lack of commitment. Are you truly surrendered to God’s call on your life? Are you committed to the vision He has placed in your hands and the people He has sent you to?
Are you dedicated to lifelong learning and spiritual growth? A committed church planter keeps growing in the Word, in character, in wisdom, and in leadership capacity. Without commitment, the journey will seem too hard. But with it, you’ll press on despite the storms.
3. COMPASSION
Do you genuinely love the people God has called you to? Or are you more concerned with being loved and admired? Ministry is not about impressing people; it’s about serving them in love.
Jesus was always moved with compassion (Matthew 9:36). He saw the brokenness in people and reached out to them with the heart of the Father. A true church planter must carry the heart of a shepherd – not seeking to be served, but to serve. Without compassion, your ministry will be mechanical and shallow.
4. CONSECRATION
God is looking for vessels of honour—men and women who are set apart for His holy purposes (2 Timothy 2:21). Are you living a life that is clean before God? Are you walking in personal holiness, with integrity and purity?
Your calling requires consecration. The church planter must constantly examine his heart and motives. Is there anything in your life—sin, pride, greed, compromise—that is blocking God from using you fully? The Lord can only flow through clean vessels. Your consecration is the oil that keeps the fire of your ministry burning.
5. COURAGE
In these last days, the Bible says people will love self, money, and pleasure more than God (2 Timothy 3:2-4). We live in a world full of compromise, confusion, and spiritual battles. As church planters, we are not just fighting human resistance, but also spiritual forces.
Do you have the courage to stand for truth, even when it’s unpopular? Can you speak the truth in love without watering it down? Courage is not the absence of fear—it is the strength to obey God in the face of fear. To plant churches in these times, you need the boldness of the Holy Spirit to stand like Elijah, speak like Paul, and live like Jesus.
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6. COLLABORATION
Many leaders struggle to work with others because of pride, insecurity, or wrong motives. But God never designed ministry to be done alone. Even Jesus had a team of disciples. Paul travelled with ministry companions. The early church was built on teamwork.
Are you willing to work with others for the sake of the Gospel? Can you join hands with fellow believers, honour other callings, and serve in unity? God blesses team ministry. A collaborative leader multiplies impact, because he knows that one person plants, another waters—but God gives the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).
7. COMPETENCE
Psalm 78:72 says of David: “And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.” A good heart is not enough—you also need skilled hands.
Do you have the leadership skills needed to manage people, communicate vision, teach God’s Word, and navigate challenges? Are you constantly developing yourself through training, mentorship, and experience? And where you are weak, do you surround yourself with people who can strengthen the areas you lack?
As church planters, we must be humble enough to grow and wise enough to build with others. We’re not called to be perfect, but we must strive to be prepared.
FINAL THOUGHTS: HOW ARE YOUR “C” LEVELS?
Church planting is like building a house. If your spiritual “Vitamin C” levels are low, cracks will begin to show. And if those weaknesses are not addressed, the whole structure may collapse under pressure.
Do a spiritual check-up today. Are your connections strong? Is your commitment steady? Is your compassion real? Are you walking in consecration? Do you have godly courage? Are you collaborating well? Are you growing in competence?
Let the Holy Spirit work on your “C” levels so you can be a strong, fruitful, and effective church planter in Jesus’ name.