Church Planting Process

Transcription

1 INDII IIANA MI IINI IISSTTRRI IIEESS Church Planting Process Jesus commissioned the church to be the agency to transmit His message to the world. Christianity has expanded throughout the world by the planting and developing of churches. The church is God s agent of change in the world. One of the most promising emphases in the church today is the renewed commitment to plant new churches throughout our nation and the world. There have been a number of church planting fatalities over the years. One evangelical organization planted 2000 churches on one Easter Sunday. They claimed it was a world record. Within one year 50 percent of those churches had closed their doors and were no longer in existence. The landscape of church planting is covered with a surprising number of church plants that did not make it. There is no one reason to explain why church plants don t survive. There are, however, some recurring themes in the church plants that did not come into fruition. Those themes include poor prescreening of the church planting candidate, (his skills, his emotional health, his indebtedness, etc.) lack of good coaching, lack of accountability, lack of training, and lack of funding. All of these churches that didn t survive leave a planter, his family and many others broken and hurting. Having given themselves to a call of God to fulfill his vision through their lives, they now wrestle with guilt, anger, resentment, bitterness, and the feelings of failure. In addition to the hurt lives, thousands of dollars have been spent on ministries with little fruit. God s plan it to strengthen, grow and preserve his ministers as well as use his money wisely. Indiana Ministries believes that starting new churches in on God s heart. We believe that God truly wants to reach lost people through the starting of churches to reach people groups presently not being reached with the good news of Jesus Christ. We Indiana Ministries Olio Road Suite303 Fishers IN

2 2 also believe that God wants us to be good managers of the finances and the lives of those in our care. We have implemented the following procedure to minimize the hurt lives and fruitless expenditures: P Prayer & Prescreening A Assessment T Training C Coaching & Covenant H Helping through Mentoring I. The first emphasis has to be placed on the church planter understanding the process. This process includes: A. There has to be a base of PRAYER and then PRESCREENING of the candidate and the spouse. This prescreening will assess the physical health, the emotional and intellectual health, and the spiritual health of the planter and the spouse. Prayer includes an intercessor team as well as the responsibility (governing) board. Prayer is not only for the potential planter and team but also the community strongholds. Nothing should go forward until prayer has prepared the spiritual foundation for the Body of Christ to expand through a new church plant. This prescreening may include: 1. Personal emotional references 2. Professional Integrity qualification Ethical Ministerial Leadership

3 3 3. Different roles that need to be in the planter s life. Those roles include: The role of the supervisor over church planting (Long term). The role of trainers who will provide additional skill-building for the planter (Skill based). The role of the coach who is an advocate for the planter (Short term). The role of the mentor who is personally available (Long term). The role of the counselor. We need to be honest and admit that most church planters will hit a wall either emotionally or spiritually. We need a process in place that will provide a safety net for the planter before they experience hitting the wall and prevent burn out (as needed). B. The ASSESSMENT of the candidate, spouse and site. This assessment will include: 1. The 16PF 2. The DiSC profile 3. EQ 4. Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode 5. strengthsfinder 6. Spiritual Gifts Inventory 7. Time Line 8. The Prism 9. A Behavioral Assessment 10. Site Assessment Demographics Launch team potential C. There needs to be extensive TRAINING for the planter that will augment his strengths and make him aware of his weaknesses. Every church planter has to attend the Church Planter Bootcamp.

4 4 D. The planter will need to have two very special relationships in his life a coach and a mentor. The COACH is someone who has successfully planted a church and knows the terrain to be faced by the planter. The coach will challenge the strategic thinking of the planter. He will guide him through the maze and problems of planting a church. This relationship should last months. In addition to a coach, a COVENANT with Indiana Ministries is also needed in order to identify the board structure, funding model and appropriate outcomes. E. The MENTOR is someone who will HELP support the planter emotionally and holistically. He will be the loyal friend that the planter can lean on. The mentor will listen, encourage, and help the planter through the challenges of planting by his friendship. The mentoring relationship will last months. II. The second emphasis of the process is the evaluation of finances. A. Assessment of the planter s personal budget and level of indebtedness. B. Accountability in developing a realistic three-year budget of the new church plant. C. Training and help on raising support to underwrite some of his salary. If a church Planter cannot raise any funds outside of the state/national support, they no doubt will have difficulty raising a Launch Team. D. Proposed budget for plant prepared and presented. Multiple streams of income State (IM) Local Raised by Planter E. The commitment of the state/national agencies. F. No debt is incurred while on support.

5 5 III. An overview of church accountability benchmarks (not deadlines) as a process would follow something similar to these five stages (depending on the model): The five stages of Church Planting: 1. Developing a Launch Team a. Figuring out who you are Taking a look at who you are Personal Competencies How do you approach a task? How do you lead? How do you resolve conflicts? What are you values and how to you show them? What is your passion and your vision? How do you organize? Taking a look at who the Body is Body Competencies How to determine the impact of the church on your family? How to evaluate the characteristics of your church? What is the culture of your church/community? o Educational o Psychographic o Socio-economic o Postmodern Who you are impacting as the church? o Evangelistic o Community service o Other What kind of Church will you be? o Seeker

6 6 o Classroom o Worship o Cell o Etc. b. Recruiting a Launch Team Appropriate methods Who you are impacting as the church? Mailers Advertisements/flyers/hangers/newspaper Person of Peace (influential community member) Relationships Kid Contacts Door to door c. Keeping the five strategic relationships Supervisor Coach Mentor Trainer Therapist d. Ensure Prayer team coverage Leader Inside/Outside Communication throughout all five stages 2. Building the Launch Team Pre-launch a. Building the Team 5 dysfunctions Common purpose

7 7 Commitment to leader Commitment to vision Commitment to values Commitment to vehicles b. Developing the gifts Teach and Train on Gifts Practice gifts outside and inside the church Honor gifts (process not point) Prayer warriors c. Deploying the gifts Identify critical visitor path o Publicity (programs, brochures ) o Greeters (Parking lot to inside) o Host/Hostess o Information o Follow up/visitation o Etc. Identify critical roles Identify people and gifts to fulfill Identify all roles needed for launch o Set up/tear down o Worship Arts team o Children s team o Sound/Video Team o Etc. Identify people and gifts to fulfill d. Developing people flow Identify path from visitor/convert/disciple/leader Identify how people will move Begin to fill slots

8 8 e. Logistics details Location o Attractive to visitors o Within Target group o Negotiate with Person of Peace Equipment o Church in a Box o Sound/Worship o Stage o Chairs o Children (small tables & chairs, materials, videos and equipment) o Nursery (toys, beds, swings, rugs, cloths, sign-in) o Information Center (brochures, maps, explanations) o Refreshment table Accessories o Banners o Coffee/refreshments o Road signs 3. Grand Opening Lift Off a. Advertise Mailers Flyers Relationships bursts Newspaper Etc. b. Practice Sessions At least three pre-grand opening services

9 9 Execute every ministry o Including set up, banners, greeters Invite friends and gain feedback c. Grand Opening Prayer coverage Prepare message in advance Remember to have fun 4. Developing the Body Getting into Orbit a. Assimilation 7 touch system Welcome to the Church Class b. Small Groups c. Developing the Lead Pastor Time Management o Boundaries o Family Time o Personal time Soul Work o Deepening the spiritual life 5. Building the Body Gaining Momentum