Routes into Planting 1 Routes into Church Planting
Introduction page 3 Routes into church planting page 4 Exploring a call page 4 Assessment tool page 5 Coaching page 7 Trainer page 7 Appendix - Flowchart page 8 Please read this Guide in conjunction with other papers which form part of the FIEC Church Planting Pack: 2. Church plant area profiling 3. Guide to FIEC recognition of church plants 4. Legal Guide to church plants 5. Possible start-up funding 6. Lifeway Church Planter Candidate Assessment tool You can download a PDF of this Guide from fiec.org.uk/mission
Introduction Welcome to the FIEC Church Planting Pack. The information contained within is designed to help you as you think through the possibility of: Starting a new church plant Leading a new church plant Joining a new church plant Inevitably, this cannot be exhaustive, and we encourage you to pray deeply, read widely and consult broadly before undertaking such a task. However, we are convinced that church planting is one of the most effective ways of communicating the gospel of Jesus Christ, especially in areas where that message has not been heard or rightly understood. So, read on! For those of you who more easily follow a route visually, do take a look at the flow chart in the Appendix, which illustrates one scenario for a route to planting a new church. Andy Paterson FIEC Mission Director For information on financial and other assistance available to church plants, please see Guide to FIEC recognition of church plants in the Church Planting pack. 3
Routes into church planting FIEC recognises that church plants are likely to become established more readily if there is a clear route for those planning to lead the work. This is especially the case in pioneer situations remote from the sending church or churches where the support of other leaders and church members can be less tangible and is certainly less immediate. What might a route for church planters look like? Call - Exploring a call to church planting ministry what does such a work involve? Assessment Tool - character, gifting, skills and life experiences relevant to church planting work. Training - a range of training opportunities and resources. Coaching - Ongoing coaching by others as a church plant becomes established. Trainer - Becoming a coach to others embarking on church planting. Exploring a call Historically, there has not been a clear route into ministry for men and women from FIEC Churches, let alone a means of fellowship, networking and assessment to help identify those wishing to be trained for Independent church ministry. But The Hub Conference (go to fiec.org.uk and search for The Hub ) has changed all that. The Hub Conference, held annually over a weekend in England, was launched in January 2013. Led by experienced FIEC pastors, evangelists, church planters and others, The Hub is the primary place in FIEC where individuals in, or considering, training can access the information, resources, advice and financial signposting they need. There are opportunities within the conference to specifically discuss church planting work. Since 2015, a similar event called Pathways (www.pathwaysconference.org) has been run by a number of organisations, including FIEC, in Scotland. 4
Many people embarking on church planting will come with existing theological training and pastoral experience. They are more likely to access the church planting route in the next stage. Assessment tool FIEC is a recognised church planting organisation with privileged access to the Lifeway Church Planter Candidate Assessment Tool CPCAT). CPCAT is an online assessment instrument which helps a potential church planter (and their respective church and spouse) to identify their areas of established strength and areas needing development as they prepare to plant a church. What traits should a church planter have? Are there discernible qualities evident among those who have planted successfully? Lifeway Research, an agency of the Southern Baptist Convention, in conjunction with many other church planting organisations, endeavoured to unearth the skills and mindsets common among the most proven church planters. What resulted were specific, measureable characteristics which were consistent among those who had experienced success in planting churches. The process for accessing and using the CPCA Tool is: The potential planter (or church) contacts FIEC (admin@fiec.org.uk) - it often leads to a helpful conversation. FIEC provides the CPCAT User Guide (also available to download from fiec.org.uk/mission - and click on Church Planting ). Where approved by FIEC, CPCA access codes can be purchased for 25 per person (a near 60% discount on the full price). The candidate completes the online assessment (a total of 161 questions). The results are sent directly to the candidate with a copy provided to FIEC s Mission Director. Where requested, FIEC will seek to link up the candidate with a coach (usually 5
an existing church planter) for support in interpreting the results. These are the five assessments within the online CPCA tool: The Church Planter Candidate Assessment: a statistically validated assessment instrument as described above. Transformational Discipleship Assessment: a statistically validated assessment tool that helps individuals assess spiritual strengths and weaknesses. Risk Factor Analysis: A short survey to help assess the level of risk a potential planter is facing in a particular church planting situation. Spiritual Gifts Survey: A survey for potential church planters that asks how common a particular action, descriptive trait, or statement of belief is in their life. Ministry Systems Experience: A simple tool to help organisations understand a current or potential church planter s previous experience. Booklet number 6 in the FIEC Church Planting Pack has further information on this invaluable tool. For information on other networks and organisations (such as Acts 29) please contact FIEC (admin@fiec.org.uk). Training FIEC recommends a range of training opportunities and resources, including: Conferences - Acts 29 (acts29network.org); Birmingham 20:20 (www.2020birmingham.org/); Time to Plant (organised by Acts 29; Co- Mission and FIEC). Plant - an accessible part-time course run over seven separate days in one year at London Seminary (or at City Church Manchester) with partners City to City Europe and FIEC (www.londonseminary.org/course/plant). Porterbrook Learning and Seminary (porterbrooknetwork.org). Placement contact the Mission Director, via the FIEC, office to discuss a possible placement with an existing church plant to learn first hand from their experience. 6
Please contact the FIEC office (admin@fiec.org.uk) for more information on these invaluable training opportunities. Coaching Before, during and after launch, where requested, coaching can become an important part of the process for ensuring a healthy church plant. This could include: Specific coaching from experienced church planters. Telephone / Skype / Facetime contact to review progress. Residential refreshment breaks (24 hours) led by FIEC s Mission Director and / or experienced church planters. Starting a new work can be physically and mentally exhausting, at times bruising, often exhilarating and always spiritually challenging! The first residential took place in 2017, and another is in the pipeline. Trainer In due course, when the plant has become established, we would want to work with the planter to use their experience for the blessing and benefit of a new generation of planters. We would help establish coaching relationships, and help cultivate a culture of church planting multiplication. 7
Church Planting Pack booklet no. 1 Church identifies area for a potential church plant Church identifies potential church planter(s) Research area to be reached - consider data held by FIEC 2 Attend Pathways Conference (Scotland) Church(es) or individuals decide to plant church Appendix Attend The Hub Conference (England) Make application to be recognised by FIEC as a church plant 3 6 Lifeway Church Planter Candidate Assessment Tool Access legal advice from Edward Connor Solicitors 4 Church planting team finalised Talk to FIEC about possible start-up funding 5 Launch church plant Link with FIEC Church Planting coach Plant becomes independent and affiliates to FIEC Plant remains a congregation of a multi-site church Thanks offering taken for FIEC s support Church plant replicates and plants again Ongoing coaching and conferences March 2018 8
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FIEC is a Registered Charity in England and Wales No. 1168037, and a Charity Registered in Scotland SC047080 March 2018 10