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5) Launch

• Church Planter works with MMF to determine if Mission Planter "boot camp" training experience would be beneficial (Texas District BMA covers cost).
• Church Planter has read "best practices" books on church planting [e.g. Launch: Starting a New Church from Scratch by Nelson Searcy and Kerrick Thomas, Regal Books; Planting Missional Churches by Ed Stetzer, Broadman and Holman; Breaking the Missional Code, by Ed Stetzer and David Putnam, Broadman and Holman].
• Church planting coach is contracted and begins meeting with the Church Planter..
• Church Planter explores potential church planting locations as identified by the Church Planting Parenting Team and prayerfully leads to discerning the "right place" for the church plant.
• The Church Planting Parenting Team disbands. Some may be part of the Launch Team.
• The Church Planter begins formation of a Launch Team (Planter develops Launch Team with the goal that at least 50% come from new contacts in location of new Church Start.) He is trusted to select Launch Team members.
• If Church Planter is lay or commissioned, he begins process of moving toward ordination through SMP (Specific Ministry Pastor) process at one of our seminaries. Congregation must request this.
• Church planter and Launch Team develops appropriate systems preceding first monthly worship (recommended for first 6 months) including Sunday worship team, evangelism/discipleship, record keeping, website, leadership development, basic accounting, corporate/legal structure.
• Church Planter and Launch Team researches and contracts for high visibility location for first worship site.
• Church Planter plans first three months of launch team "preview worship".
• Church Planter and launch team invite others to monthly "preview worship" services.
• Church Planters and launch team design monthly "splash events" in community to serve and get to know community.
• First regular every Sunday worship launched within first 6 months.

List of Appendicies

• Appendix A: Mission Prayer Team Guidelines.
• Appendix B: Guidelines for Writing Your Preliminary Mission Plan.
• Appendix C: Church Planter Candidate Assessment Application.
  
  (Contact Rev. Dr. John Hirsch before completing this form.)

Click here to download the Church Planting Steps document.

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