Recommended Resources on Church Planting

Search “Church Planting” on google, and you will come up with over three million references and resources! Hence the importance to be connected with people who are actually doing planting. When it comes time to research, some of the most useful sites are listed below. These have been recommended by John Kaiser and by many of you, as resources that help when you are in the field.

The two most widely recommended resources are The Church Planter’s Toolkit by Bob Logan and Steve Ogne, and Dr Charles Ridley’s report on the characteristics of effective church planters. A summary of both is given in the following pages of this resource list.

Jim Hughes

Websites:

http://www.cmtcmultiply.org Boot camp

http://www.weplantchurches.com Note the downloads available

Dr Tom Nebel—Books:

Big Dreams in Small Places

Church Planting Landmines: Mistakes to Avoid in Yrs 2-10

http://www.stadia.cc New Church Strategies

Article: dr. gary scheer – why i coach church planters

http://www.crm.org.au Australian perspectives.

Go to “Downloads” and download “matrix”

http://www.church-planting.net Practical resources (passion 4 planting)

Download “church planting checklist”

http://www.newchurches.com The annotated bibliography is one of the best online

http://www.churchplantingvillage.net

Church Planters Toolkit

-by Robert Logan (ChurchSmart; CRM1) Format: Kit

(Retails in Australia for $137.50)

The premier resource for church planters! Combining the wisdom and expertise of Bob Logan and Steve Ogne, The Church Planter’s Toolkit offers clear objectives that all church planters need to consider.

The Church Planter’s Toolkit includes 12 audio cassette tapes as well as detailed checklists and action planning worksheets to form a comprehensive package for church planters and their supervisors.

Beginning with spiritual foundations, you will learn how to develop effective strategies for starting healthy churches that are applicable in any context.

Logan and Ogne use an easy to understand life-cycle model to describe the phase of new church development (conception, prenatal, birth, growth and reproduction). All the key issues within one phase must be addressed before moving on to the next phase of development, otherwise, significant problems can arise in the new church.

Topics include:

Perspectives on church planting

Verifying roles and mobilizing your team

Clarifying your church planting vision

Developing your church planting strategy

Evangelism and core group formation

Facilities, finances, and organization issues

Getting your ministries ready for birth

Dynamic worship that is seeker sensitive

Expanding networks of cell groups

Empowering and equipping leaders

Lay mobilization and ministry development

Starting churches that reproduce

Churches Planting Churches by Robert Logan & Steven Ogne

(Retails in Australia for $159.50)

This manual complements the Church Planter’s Toolkit and is designed for any church considering planting daughter churches. The manual arose out of the work by the authors who have done multiple church plants and assisted churches around the world in church planting strategies.

It begins by drawing together three crucial elements that lie at the heart of any church planting vision:

 · grasping the importance of churches multiplying themselves

 · laying a biblical foundation for church planting and capturing God’s vision for the harvest

 · knowing your community – “surveying the harvest”

There are twelve sections accompanied by six audio tapes and an introductory video. As with the Toolkit, this manual is designed for the practitioner and laid out such that the tools are logical and accessible.

You may be growing out of your current facilities.

Have you considered church planting?

Do you have people in your congregation who want to plant a church but you don’t know how to support them?

Have you been thinking about multiplying your church but didn’t know where to start?

Outline of Contents 1 – Expand your vision for church multiplication 2 – Get started 3 – Prepare to become a parent church 4 – Understand the church planting process 5 – Gain support of key leaders 6 – Cultivate congregational commitment 7 – Determine parenting methods and resources 8 – Identify cross-cultural issues 9 – Mobilise church planters 10 – Set appropriate target communities

11 – Develop a gathering and launching strategy 12 – Prepare for release, recovery and reproduction

The Characteristics of a Church Planter (www.seedsofhope.unitingchurch.org.au) Church plants can thrive or fall over. A major factor in the resilience of the plant is the ‘team leader’. In the Seeds of Hope movement we take seriously the recruitment, assessment, placement and coaching of team leaders.

As part of our commitment to new church planters we offer an assessment process, helping identify strengths and areas for future development. We spend five to six hours with the prospective team leaders, and their spouse where applicable, to work through 13 characteristics.

Dr Charles Ridley published a report on the characteristics of effective church planters based on research with thirteen denominations. Dr. Ridley did an extensive job analysis field study of successful planters. From this research he developed a Church Planter Performance Profile (CPPP). Out of forty-eight behaviours identified, thirteen are found to be critically important.

An essential truth which Dr. Ridley shares related to these behaviours is, “The best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour.” This is another way of saying, “By their fruits you shall know them.” Prayerfully reflect on these behaviours together with your spouse or a close friend and ask the question, “Is this a reflection of me?”

The ideal church planter is one who possesses the following qualities:

1. Visionising capacity

being a person who projects into the future beyond the present

developing a theme which highlights the vision and philosophy of ministry

persuasively selling the vision to the people

approaching challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles

coping effectively with non-visionising elements

not erecting artificial walls or limits either overtly or subconsciously

establishing a clear church identity related to the theme and vision

believing in God’s capacity to do great things

2. Intrinsically motivated

having a desire to do well and a commitment to excellence

stick-to-itiveness and persistence

having initiative and aggressiveness without the negative connotations

having a willingness to work long and hard

being a self-starter with a willingness to build from nothing

having a high energy and vitality level; physical stamina

3. Creates ownership of ministry

helping people to “buy in” and feel responsible for the growth and success of the church

gaining commitment of the people to the vision

establishing a congregational identity

avoiding stereotyping of congregation by imposing unrealistic goals for which it cannot claim ownership

4. Relates to the unchurched

communicating in style that is understood by the unchurched

understanding the “psychology” or mentality of the unchurched

moving and functioning in the “personal space” of the unchurched without fear

quickly getting to know the unchurched on a personal level

breaking through the barriers erected by the unchurched

handling crises faced by the unchurched

5. Spousal cooperation

having an explicit agreement regarding each partner’s respective role and involvement in ministry

having explicit rules regarding the use of home as an office

evaluating the consequences of ministry demands upon the children

functioning as a team through individual and collective action

having a strategy for dealing with strangers

modeling wholesome family life before church and community

agreeing upon and sharing the ministry vision

deliberately planning and protecting private family life

6. Effectively builds relationships

responding with urgency to expressed needs and concerns of people

displaying Godly love and compassion to people

getting to know people on a personal basis

making others feel secure and comfortable in one’s presence

not responding judgmentally or prejudicially to new people

appreciating and accepting a variety of persons

spending quality time with present parishioners without overstepping them for new people

7. Committed to church growth

believing in church growth as a theological principle

appreciating steady and consistent growth without preoccupation with the quick success factor

committing to numerical growth within the context of spiritual and relational growth (more and better disciples)

recognizing that non-growth is threatening and self-defeating

establishing the goal of becoming a financially self-supporting church within a specific period of time

not prematurely falling into a ministry of maintenance

seeing the church project within the larger context of God’s kingdom

8. Responsive to community

understanding the culture of the community

identifying and assessing community needs

responding to community needs on a priority basis such that resources are most efficiently used

determining successes and failures of other organized religious attempts to respond to community needs

not confusing what the community needs with what the church wants to offer

acquiring and understanding of the character and “pulse” of the community

adapting the philosophy of ministry to the character of the community

9. Utilizes giftedness of others

releasing and equipping people to do the task of ministry

discerning of spiritual gifts in others

matching the gifts of people with ministry needs and opportunities

delegating effectively in areas of personal limitation

avoiding personal overload by delegating effectively

not prematurely assigning ministry assignments before people are adequately equipped

not placing unwarranted restrictions on other’s spiritual giftedness

10. Flexible and adaptable

coping effectively with ambiguity

coping effectively with constant and abrupt change

adapting oneself and one’s methods to the uniqueness of the particular church planting project

shifting priorities and emphasis during various stages of church growth

doing “whatever” is necessary “whenever” necessary

11. Builds group cohesiveness

developing a nucleus group or groups as a foundation

quickly incorporating newcomers into a network of relationships

engaging others in meaningful church activity

monitoring the morale of people

utilizing groups effectively

dealing with conflict assertively, constructively and tactfully

12. Resilience

experiencing setbacks without defeat

riding the ups and downs (i.e. attendance)

expecting the unexpected

rebounding from loss, disappointments and failure

13. Exercises faith

possessing a conviction regarding one’s call to church planting ministry

believing in God’s action

having expectation and hope

having a willingness to wait for answers to specific prayer requests

SEMINAR COMMENTS:

My conclusions from considering these things:

Church planting is essentially relationship. It is Jesus who is building His church. Relationship with Him is primary. Spend time listening to the voice of the Spirit. Spend time in the Word.

Treasure the relationship with your wife or husband. Until this is strong, vibrant and overflowing, proceed no further!

Planting is a reproduction from a church that already exists. Relationship with the leadership in that church is vital. What is the DNA of the church you are planting from? God has a purpose in linking you with that church–value that relationship. Develop that relationship.

Church planting is also a battle. Who are you going into battle with? Develop relationships with your peers in church planting. There are plenty of names on this list. Connect with others and let’s do what we can to support each other. We are in this together–no choice!

Don’t be naiive. Count the cost. Do the work to develop strategies; do the research; talk to others; learn from those with greater experience. Be generous in passing on what you have to benefit others–the very essence of church planting.

Go where vibrant church isn’t! Connect with people and develop relationships! The strength of all the relationships above will directly impact these new relationships.

Revelation 3:8 “See, I have placed before you an open door that no-one can shut.”

Have the courage to follow through.

I hope the seminar and this material is of great benefit to you.

Blessings

Jim Hughes