Church planting starts with people
“Every church planting churches” begins with identifying and training the right teams of people to live as called-out ones giving witness to the goodness of God within their communities. In order to build a self-sustaining movement of church planting within our district we are focused on developing the gifts of everyday people who are sent by God. Our training will be segmented into three phases. Each phase will be set off be a two-day on-site workshop followed by 3-6 months of remote coaching for the lead planters and their teams. See the anticipated training outline below.
Leadership Identity
To help lead planter candidates to identify their unique gift sets we will use the Insights Discovery personality assessment, the APEST spiritual gifts assessment, and the 6 Types of Working Genius assessment. These three assessments will aid the leader in prayerfully discerning their preferred energy style, their spiritual wiring, and their ideal working context, respectively.
Entrepreneurial Dreaming
To help lead planter candidates to identify God’s big dream for their ministry start, we will review three prevailing models of planting: Word & Sacrament centric, Non-profit, and business-as-mission. Reviewing each of these styles will serve to stretch the imagination of the lead planter candidates, priming them to consider the needs and opportunities in the locations where God has placed them.
Team Building
To help lead planter candidates to envision the team that God is building for their new plant, we will review the common roles needed for an entrepreneurial team. Planters will reflect on their network to discern the people with whom God may be sending them into the mission field.
Mission Mandate
To help the planting team to organize their God-given effort, we will use a “vision framing” approach — first clarifying organizational identity before discerning the God-given direction for the ministry. This begins by answering “question zero” – “what are we ultimately doing?”. The answer to this question is a “mission mandate” for the team, helping them to establish shared expectations of what they’re working on together.
Team Rhythms
As the called-out-ones of God, the planting team share a common heartbeat as one ecclesia. As the team sets out together, they will need a set of common rhythms to remain synchronized around a common effort in the face of all the distractions of modern life. As a part of Phase 2 training, the team will establish shared expectations of what it means for them to be a team on mission together.
Visionary Milestone
To help the planting team to “get moving” with the calling God has given them, Phase 2 training will facilitate the articulation of an initial 1-year milestone goal. This milestone will represent the first “must do” of the team to help them filter the most important tasks out from the myriad of things that can pop up in a new ministry.
Visionary Planning
Planting teams will craft a strategic plan by prayerfully discerning a 5-year future picture for the ministry God is building through them. This 5-year picture will be supported by 3-year operational objectives, a fresh 1-year milestone, and upcoming 90-day initiatives. This planning will be supported by training for keeping the strategic plan current and relevant to the growing ministry.
Operational Training
Planting teams will receive training and resources for next steps in formalizing or chartering their new organization, including incorporation as a 501(c)3 or chartering as an LCMS congregation. Training in these various routes will include expectations and requirements for ongoing compliance as a formal organization.
Financial Development
Planting teams will receive training and resources for fundraising or financial stewardship development, contextualized for the types of organizations they are planting. Equipped in this way, the teams will clarify their budgetary expectations in anticipation of ongoing grant requests.