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Required or needed? I think the question should be, “What am I willing to risk to start a church?”

I grew up with a grandfather who received no salary, and he and my grandmother used their income. He was a janitor, and she did housekeeping. They had a small storefront building where the heat sometimes worked in the winter, and it was an example of what hell might feel like in the summer.

They provided toilet paper every week. He went to the dump and restored folding chairs that people threw out. Mama and I cleaned, and a piano and pulpit was donated to them from other churches. They also provided donuts and milk for the kids who had no breakfast before Sunday School, a comb, brush, ribbons, barretts, towel and washcloth for the kids whose parents sent them out without proper cleaning. The church grew in members. Adults followed the children, and God eventually provided funding. He was later called to another location where he was on salary, but had to go through similar community involvements in growing that congregation.

Both churches survived after he left. This is a test of leadership, whether in business or in church work – if the shephard (CEO) leaves, will the flock scatter or continue in service.

If the LORD calls one to start a church, money isn’t the biggest consideration. There are many pastors today who are doing similar things. The currency of Heaven is faith and I believe obedience. The money will come.

I stumbled on your website and you have some very interesting things. I’m a church planter and I am on my third. We started with a few thousand dollars, if that, in probably in the most expensive area in the US. Like Jay says God does provide. Also our model allow for this. If the church allows a pastor to start a small group in another location, then in a year or so that new small group can be a church.