April 29, 2008 Update

M2C Update

April 29, 2008

Opening Words

M2C Retreat is just around the corner. There are over 160 people registered! It should be an exciting and inspirational time. We'll see many of you there...in about a week.

This issue is focused on church planting. The articles and resources are about church planting. Enjoy!

I came across the following eight key principles to effectiveness in partnerships by Phill Butler:

Effective partnerships (EPs)...

are built on trusting relationships.
need a facilitator.
are about a compelling, commonly acknowledged/held vision.
have limited, achievable objectives.
are a process, not an event.
are made up of partners with clear identities and vision.
focus on what they have in common.
acknowledge & meet expectations of key constituencies.

All EPs have at least four constituencies: the audience or group we are seeking to serve or reach, the active partners, the leadership of each partner ministry, and those funding and praying for each partner ministry.

Partners need to be aware of and have respect for each other's constituencies. Partners need to be able to communicatethe outcomes of the partnership effectively in terms their constituency understands and values.

Have a great week placed in the Lord.

In This Issue

Multiplying Church

Externally Focused Church

Planting Missional Churches

Resources

Join our list

Worth Pondering:

A church that reaches children will grow. Statistics show that 80 to 85 percent of those who believe in Christ came to know the Lord between the ages of 4 and 14. If you have a quality ministry to children, you will assimilate more new, young families. When people see that your church cares about children and is leading them to Christ, they will be more likely to stay at your church.

Not long ago I finished reading Starting New Churches on Purpose by Ron Sylvia.

While more basic than some of the other books I have read on church planting, this book is definitely worth the read with some good nuggets.

Here are some things that jumped out:

"The typical church in North America is like a sailboat without a rudder, drifting aimlessly in the ocean. As if that is not bad enough, the winds of change and the currents of postmodernism are relentlessly blowing and pulling it even further off course."

"A vision is a point on the horizon that will be reached only at some date in the future, a statement of what will be created years or decades ahead. To create visions, leaders must become preoccupied with the future."

"Realize the impossible is always possible."

"I've noticed over and over that if a church doesn't get beyond 200 within about a year and a half, it usually doesn't happen at all. On the other hand, churches that get over 200 in the first year just keep growing and growing. The goal of a launch is to attract a crowd and develop the crowd into a church. The foremost reason for launching a new church as large as possible is simply good stewardship of the gospel."

"At a preview service, the community is invited to see what the church will be like at the grand opening. Previews give a church time to build momentum while providing a chance to test drive the facility and the service you are designing."

"People are looking for two things in a church - relationships and responsibilities."

And the most helpful thing:
"Remember that you are building a launch team, not a core group. A core group will want Bible studies and worship experiences. A core group will immediately want to start acting like an established church. There is no church until you launch it. A launch team is focused on aspects of launching, the assignments, and responsibilities. Their job is to get this church off the ground, and their part is to train and prepare for the launch. A true launch team is focused on inviting and investing in people in their relational world."

So, until next time: May God give you strength and wisdom and power to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ!

Lou Jander
Editor

The Multiplying Church

Bob Roberts doesn't just write books about church planting. His church actually plants churches. They have multiple church planting interns each year. Bob describes the seven "processors" they have their interns work through before going off to plant.

Call: You better feel called! If not, you'll be tempted to quit when the going gets tough.
Values: What are the values you practice without thinking? Know your values; you can't adopt someone else's!
Purpose: What is your purpose? What is the purpose of the church you're starting?
Vision: Must start with you, then spread. (George Barna: "Vision has no force, power or impact unless it spreads.")
Strategy: Whom are you going to reach and how will you reach them? What will you do with them once you reach them?
Leadership: Bob writes:"In a new church, start with turning outsiders into insiders. Do this as quickly as possible as people come on board. They have to feel as though they are part of something larger than the Sunday event. The next step is to turn converts into disciples, through what I've described as creating a culture for transformation that changes people's behavior, not merely passes along information. The final step is turning disciples into ministers. This is where you practice mobilization through spiritual gifts. Identify the reliable men and women in your church and their giftings. Entrust responsibilities to them and educate them through mentoring so that they can emulate what they have seen you do."
Evaluation: How will your church evaluate how you're doing?

Externally Focused Church

Externally focused churches are quick to partner with community agencies, they are open to building new relationships, and they flood their neighborhoods with practical compassion, according to Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson in their book The Externally Focused Church. According to the authors, the characteristics of externally focused churches are as follows:

They are inwardly strong but outwardly focused.
They integrate good deeds and good news into the life of the church.
They value impact and influence in the community more than attendance.
They seek to be salt, light and leaven in the community.
They see themselves as the "soul" of the community.
They would be greatly missed by the community if they left.

In a culture that is increasingly willing to question the proposition that Christianity is "good" for society, it is more necessary than ever for Christians to be living lives that are consistent with the message they preach. Some churches are recognizing that the only way to connect with such people is by demonstrating practical Christianity, rather than just talking about it. This book makes an important contribution to the field.