Table of Contents. The Kerygma Group Overview Personal Constitution Fundamental Doctrine Leadership Philosophy...

Transcription

1 Manual

2 Table of Contents The Kerygma Group Overview... 3 Personal Constitution... 6 Fundamental Doctrine... 7 Leadership Philosophy... 9 Church Plant Strategy Austin Church Plant Strategy

3 The Kerygma Group Overview The Kerygma Group is a daughter work of New Life UPC of Austin, Texas. Kerygma will focus on the downtown area of Austin. Our church begins with a question, Can you build a decentralized church that produces Apostolic results? Why is this important? Segments of American culture are becoming more urbanized and disconnected while at the same time in search of a deep relationship. How do you minister a timeless gospel to a changing demographic of American culture? A decentralized church is defined as one whose methods do not ignore the need for brick and mortar 1, but rather, focuses the same resources on connecting the community through other means. In other words, we will attempt to connect and disciple our community first through web presence, chat rooms, message boards, and social networks. These methods still recognize the following realities: 1. Person to person discipleship is still necessary. 2. Conversions happen in the context of the body of Christ. 3. Corporate gatherings are still necessary. 4. And, we must recognize when our methods are not working and adjust. We hope to embrace the creativity needed to teach that what happens in the big church must first happen in the small gathering. Simply, our model is not much different from the traditional model in the end. It is just that the initial methods focus in different areas. We will need to remain flexible when we get on the ground. 1 Brick and Mortar implies that most resources are focused on building centric methods. Austin Church Plant Strategy

4 Terms to Know: Daughter Work: a church-plant that falls under the auspices of a mother church. The advantages include vision accountability, shared resources and 501c3 status, and a community that has already done it. Kerygma: (Kuh-rig-mu) means proclamation. And, to the first century church, meant proclamation of the message of Jesus Christ (which also demands a response). Urban Group: The lifeblood of our church. It consists of 8-12 people led by a leader; this leader is, in turn, accountable to the pastor. Our goal is that everything flow out of the urban group. We want to grow our church by keeping it small. Gathering: As the groups grow, we will have multiple groups meeting on the weekends in rented spaces. This should be a combination of all of our groups. The main resources should be put back into the urban groups. Connection: Each group will be connected by a central message given by the pastor during each Urban Group. The Urban Group message will flow out of the central message being taught. Each team member s role will be to accomplish the following things: 1. Commit to Apostolic Doctrine 2. Know and live what it means to be an Apostolic Christian (Kerygma 5 Values) We are looking for passionate learners. 3. Embody humility and cooperation with others 4. Find how to multiply their gifts within the community 5. Find ways to multiply the growth of Kerygma Our 5-year plan is to have many Urban Groups in the downtown area. Each region being led by a pastor as they are accountable to the central vision. We believe the Apostolic doctrine can accomplish these things: 1. Provide redemption for Austin and beyond 2. Provide solutions that will make Austin a better place 3. Focus on biblical teaching on how our people can use their gifts to add value to our region and beyond Austin Church Plant Strategy

5 Strategic Plan: The Kerygma Group The Kerygma Group (TKG): the parent oversight organization that will serve as a central holding house for the following: Funding All funding (sponsors, income, etc.) will funnel through TKG. This will ensure that all funds are budgeted and accounted. All staff members will be employees of TKG. The staff can do anything outside of the local assembly; all funds will go into TKG, and a salary will be generated from the salary account. Leadership Interests All practical areas of the local church will work as functions of TKG. The local church will operate as an organism within the organization. This will ensure that the main focus will always be on the local church community. Austin Church Plant Strategy

6 Personal Constitution I am called to live all of life as worship (Deuteronomy 6:4). God created us with a mind, heart, body, and soul. Therefore, all that I do will be a celebration of the reign of Jesus Christ in my mind, my emotions, my body, and my soul. I am called to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, add value to my world, and inspire and equip individuals to add value to their world. My calling at this time will be expressed through: Church Planter Pastor Evangelist Writer Artist Austin Church Plant Strategy

7 Fundamental Doctrine The Message of Jesus Christ fulfills three functions: Salvation, Restoration, and Freedom. Salvation Because of God s natural law of cause-and-effect, sin says that we are a condemned people. Jesus took on the price of our salvation and overcame it. Restoration The message of Jesus Christ is calling us to be restored to the original creative state of eternal relationship with God. It restores us into right relationship with God. The infilling of the Holy Spirit restores us to use our gifts for the original intended purpose. Freedom We are offered freedom from fear of death. The foundation of fear is materialism. This fear causes us to think and make decisions based, not on eternal, but rather, temporal values. The result is lust of the flesh, pride, debt, and seeing life through short-term values. Identity of God God is real, personal, and the creator of all things. God is one in essence and expression. Jesus Christ was, and is, the expressed image and intent of God; He, therefore, is God. The Holy Spirit is our comforter and the expression of God s empowerment to humanity and is, therefore, God. Austin Church Plant Strategy

8 Sin Blessing: maximizing your potential Cursing: minimizing your potential Sin brings into your life the curse of a life less lived. This has immediate and eternal implications. Salvation We believe that salvation is attained through faith in Jesus Christ. This salvation is experienced through repentance, baptism in Jesus name, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost. Baptism is an entrance into the community of faith. It remits your sins and is an act that signifies the Name of Jesus covering your identity. It is not a matter of if, but when, one will be filled with the Holy Spirit and speak in other tongues. While there are gifts of the Spirit, the Bible tells of the initial gift as being an unknown tongue. Holiness Holiness is being like God. It is possible to become holy. Our life is a process in which we become less like our sinful nature and more like a holy God. Holiness can only be attained from regeneration from God and daily execution of our flesh. The act of becoming holy is a matter of the heart. We place fences and standards; one purpose with varying reasons. o Purpose: To renew our mind so that God s holiness can give us clarity (Romans 12). o Varying reasons: biblical command, cultural sin, and cultural leadership (Each of the aforementioned reasons may be interconnected or not.) Austin Church Plant Strategy

9 Leadership Philosophy All are welcome and encouraged to join and participate in the life of the community. Every race, creed, demographic, and worldview will be welcome to participate in the community. Caveat: All activities defined as sacramental rites 2 will only be led by those that have demonstrated obedience to the plan of salvation, the character of a bishop, and have demonstrated a commitment to living a holy lifestyle as our church defines it. Church Leadership Model The leadership model will always include a structure that models accountability in worldview, theology, and praxis. We will fight the tendency to let the local church become an autonomous organ. We will always hold ourselves accountable to the local body, our elders, and our organization. Initial model For the time of transition there will be the following model: A board of outside elders Brother Bernard Brother Littles Brother Tracy One lead pastor Nathaniel Binion o Protection, Accountability, and Maturity A team that fulfills deacon functions Reasoning for one initial one lead pastor: 1 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good 2 Sacramental rites are defined as activities necessary in the implementation of church policy such as elders, deacons, gathering leadership, etc. Austin Church Plant Strategy

10 behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; 9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. The Bible says that the office of a bishop should be filled with a person proven in the following areas: Long-Term Model Blameless History of righteous moral decisions History of getting along with others Teachable Not a novice Possessing a good report from others Not given to gossip Not materialistic It would be a healthy process that our team displays these virtues for a period of time before they are commissioned to the pastoral offices. This belief is biblical, prudent, of good stewardship, and a recognition that we truly care about the process of leadership in our church. The goal is to build a team of deacons and elders that submit to God, while submitting to each other s function within the body of Christ. A team of pastors A team of deacons One lead pastor among a team of pastors Austin Church Plant Strategy

11 Church Plant Strategy Demographic Urban Environment What is Urban? A church that focuses its efforts upon reaching the city from the downtown-out, rather then from the suburbs-in. Why Urban? Our gifts, interests, calling, and education fit the demographic represented. I am a person who loves the arts but also loves the taste of the Southwest. The city of Austin is filled with artistic people from whom many in our movement seem to shy away. I want to begin a model for urban ministry and leadership development. I believe the Apostolic message will shine in a decentralized world. Why Austin? I feel a calling to reach the formally educated, and Austin is a model city for the formally educated. My family loves the Southwest and can enjoy the present culture that is represented in Austin. Austin is a city with a future and currently impacts much of our country through technology, art, multimedia, etc. Austin is a great test-market for urban ministry. The downtown region is still developing, and the church can grow with the downtown culture. Austin Church Plant Strategy

12 Values Commitment to Doctrine (Foundation) Understanding One God and life as worship Living repentance Fulfilling baptism in Jesus name Experiencing the infilling of the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues Committed to being separated unto Christ Focused on the supernatural gifts of the Spirit, while displaying the fruit of the Spirit Committed to embodying the principles of Jesus Christ in our daily life (experiential) Commitment to Prayer The church will be immediately centered on a lifestyle of prayer. Prayer will be taught to the team and converts consistently. All events will be programmed around corporate prayer. Embrace the Unique Culture of Austin (Image Driven) The church will celebrate the fine arts. Austin is a city of art. Art is a gift of God and should be celebrated. God is not only a God that celebrates function but also the aesthetic. God made the rainbow for a reason. Therefore, we whole-heartedly embrace our commitment to make the arts a part of our vision. Austin Church Plant Strategy

13 o The church worship staff will be involved and communicate our commitment to quality, local art, and community ingenuity. o The church worship band will play in appropriate locations around town and record worship music written by our church community. o Our team will be resources to our organization (financial means) and to our city (evangelism reasons). We will be committed to communicate God visually o While there are no plans to put our ministry on television. It is important that we embrace communicating our message through multimedia. The city of Austin is rapidly becoming a center for visual art. God can communicate his message this way as well. Various ways to teach, preach, and disciple through artistic means will be embraced and encouraged. o We will do Church 2.0: meaning our church life materials will almost all be web-based. Empower Grass Roots Leaders to Change Their World (Participatory) All leaders will be committed to multiply themselves in others. All leaders will be mentoring as they are being mentored. The team will be taught how to duplicate themselves first. People will be taught to understand how to apply the Bible to their lives. Teaching and venues will be continually provided to equip and empower people to build the kingdom. Austin Church Plant Strategy

14 Global Plan To be a model of accountability to the mother church (i.e. New Life UPC) To be the geographic central church in the downtown area that flows outward in influence To open doors for an AYC missionary whose focus is building an urban church on the college campus To be a model that can and will be used for church planting in other urban cities with training and funding, in the USA and around the world. To empower all kinds of leaders to build grass roots movements that impact their world for the message of Jesus Christ (i.e. campus ministry is not meant just for college, but also for places of business, politics, cyberspace, etc.) Church Model What is the preferred Church Model? This is a grass roots organization. Therefore, it is a movement by the people to add value to the community that it lives within. This structure is built upon two components: urban group and corporate gathering. Everything else is to be woven within the community at large. The goal is not to create a super sub-community. The goal is to evangelize, equip, and transform the community that we are already a part of. Urban Group: the place where practical teaching will take place and community be realized. Community Gathering: the place where realization of the bigger picture happens, unity is seen, goals are clarified, and celebration is shared. A small group first; community gathering second. Austin Church Plant Strategy

15 Small group Foci: Downtown Austin UT Campus 5-mile-radius Surrounding Downtown Art Community of Austin State Government Beyond The immediate, first focus will place highest priority upon the small group model. Reasoning: Cultural Response A decentralized world has less room for a centralized form of discipleship. In a global society (decentralized), the central model must reach the demographic. Therefore, we must first focus on building house churches. Discipleship Model Process: Share a meal God has called all to make disciples; the growth of a church can only be seen if it truly returns to a grass roots movement. A church that spends time together is a church that grows together. Share a community in all things Truly become a city within a city. Grass Roots Leadership First: We cannot build a mission style ministry. But we will build a missional ministry. Resource stewardship: the deacons will be the teachers of our church. Austin Church Plant Strategy

16 The church must not follow the silo church mentality. Meaning, that we begin on the foundation of program based functionality. Rather, we will seek to let our core values flow out of all communal activity. The function of full time staff will be to equip the house church leaders to make disciples. Community Gathering: Will function as our time of celebration Start date to be determined by the quorum of house church members Connected to the Mother church Gathering space will possibly be rented; office space is more important. Not having a plant facility will free up resources for developing leaders. Gathering will take place in performing arts centers and be connected through technology as needed. We will only purchase property if the need demands it. Austin Church Plant Strategy

17 Strategic Plan Development of Strategic Plan Build a transition budget One-month transition funds Ministry budget Announce resignation to local church Develop transition strategy Formulate a promotional video Kick off website Website will communicate vision and strategic plan Evangelize from St. Louis May to August Build in-depth written theology Identify needs in a team Identify a team Build a trust fund to New Life Center, Austin Meet with the appropriate district boards Build support across my connections Sell home in St. Louis Search for housing in or near downtown Austin Move On-Site August 2008 Fall 2008 Strategy Continue to travel on weekends Get involved in the community Bring team onsite; begin discipleship First house church Develop unity of purpose, prayer, and community (Our first group will be the test of what our whole church will resemble.) Values will be tested in the first house church Partner with the Mother Church Unify strategy Expand house church model January Search for community gathering location Austin Church Plant Strategy

18 Disciple team Develop a marketing plan for our local church Spring 2009 Strategy Expand one Urban Group Expand Urban Group on UT campus Continue discipleship of team Begin deacon training Prepare for community event in Summer and Fall Set numeric goals for Summer and Fall Summer 2009 Strategy Expand one Urban Group Find teams specific roles Implement Summer Push Prepare for Fall event Fall 2009 Strategy Begin weekend gatherings Connect weekend to Urban Group Multiply two Urban Groups Second community service Jesus was separated Jesus personal ministry grows Jesus develops his own voice Jesus chooses disciples Jesus demonstrates Holy Spirit empowers God multiplies and separates Austin Church Plant Strategy