Here is a summery of what was covered at the #1 Church Plant Info/Q&A and additional info:
I. Prayer Needed:
1. Pray God will GATHER the right people, workers, for the work of starting a
new church and building a new church. These workers more than anything else will
have a heart for the those who do not know God.
2. Pray for Faith and Courage. (Josh 1:6-9)
3. Pray that God will protect you from the attacks of the enemy: your
thoughts, emotions, resources, relationships, spiritual attacks that will keep
you from remaining in God’s presence, etc. (Ep 6:10-18)
4. Pray that God will open the doors and guide this process and the
people who will be involved. (Rev 3:8) “I know your deeds. See, I have placed
before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little
strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name”
II. Church Planting is very much like building a house. There are stages and steps.
Church Planting Stages:
“Unless the Lord builds
the house, those who build it labor in vain.” Psalm 127:1
“I will build
my church.” Jesus, in Matthew 16:18
Every church plant is different. Contexts
are different, people are different, style is different, personalities are
different, growth rates are different, and ministry development is different.
But one thing that all church plants have in common is the stages that they go
through, much like the stages of building a brand new home. Some stages overlap,
some stages are shorter, some are longer, and everything is chaotic like an
episode of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”. All this said to remind us of where
Delta is, to encourage us, and to give us some perspective on the massive work
that God is doing.
Stage 1: Location Identification and
Excavation
God calls a planter and lays a location on his heart. A
planter will make plans and preparations to move to the location and then
relocate. Much work is done to assess and learn the culture and context.
Conversations with people center on the “house” that will be built to find
people who are interested in building with the planter.
Stage 2:
Foundation
The true foundation of a church plant is not in a particular
program, event, meeting, structure, or even people. The true foundation of a
church plant is theology – the view of who God is and how God works. Only from a
solid theology built on the truth of scripture can things like vision, mission,
values and ministry philosophy be determined.
Stage 3:
Framing
Once the foundation is set, the framing begins to go up that
determines the structure of the home. The framing in a church plant are people,
and at the earliest time of a church plant these people are known as the Core
Team (or Launch Team). Most people who frame a church plant are leaders (elders
& deacons) or workers (members). It is from these people, with the
particular gifts & passions that God has formed them with, that determine
what ministries and programs develop.
Stage 4:
Mechanicals
Mechanicals are things like plumbing, wiring, HVAC,
etc…basically, things that make the home function and livable. For a church
plant, this would include things like financial systems, assimilation,
communication, etc.
Stage 5: Exterior and Interior
Finishes
Things like siding, rooms, doors, and the like make up this
stage. This would mirror things like the development of ministries, or
“expressions” of the church (groups, children & family ministries, affinity
groups, etc). It is this stage in which the church becomes uniquely
recognizable.
Stage 6: Decoration
As more people “move in” to
the house and bring their personalities, gifting, and passions to the home, the
expressions of the church become much more refined and specialized. Departments
are able to form within expressions – for example, the worship gathering
expression is able to more fully develop departs of the band, A/V, hospitality,
etc.
Stage 7: Additions
As the family within the home grows
and matures, the need for additions becomes necessary. For a church, these will
take the form of moving to a larger facility, going multi-site, and aggressively
church planting.
Lastly, With every stage, there is a need for a
particular type of person to be involved, particular leadership gifts necessary,
and the addition of more leaders & workers. Also every stage of growth is
dependent on the Master Builder making it happen, as we as Christ-followers
remain humble, dependant, and obedient to Christ and His Word. The church
belongs to Jesus; not the pastor or the members. It is only the church’s
authentic dependence on Jesus that will allow the full power of the Gospel to be
unleashed.
III. Hearing the Voice of God concerning how do we know that God is leading us in this church
plant....CONFIRMATION<CONFIRMATION<CONFIRMATION
Much like a pyramid, God's confirming voice adds one after another.
The Very Bottom and the most important is God's Voice itself. Then next is, God gathering and calling people to His Will/Task/Work. And then the resources, and then the opportunities, and so on.... and when these factors continue to add on one after another. You get a whole picture of knowing His Will and hearing His Voice.
To certain degree for the past month I have seen and have witnessed the beginning of all this as people are starting to gather and funds are starting to come in already. It is truly exciting to be a witness of this and a tremendous privilege to be part of it. Praise God!!
