| |
When Tim Keller came to New York in 1989, he had a compelling vision: to apply the gospel to New York City so as to renew it spiritually, socially, culturally and thereby to renew society and the world. This grandiose dream was more than planting a church to serve as a seedbed for others. It was a vision to see the gospel applied in such a way so as to transform the city. In order to become a reality, this vision, like any vision, required a long-term plan with specific phases and strategic goals.
Our concern here, while related to this overall strategic plan, is more specific. Our intent is coaching a city church planter in the start-up of a healthy church so that it becomes part of the greater urban church planting movement. If you are a church planter, you know how important the launching phase is in your overall planting endeavors. Whether you have a coach or are coached by peers we invite you to explore these important components of the launching phase. The diagram below shows the components we explore in this chapter.
 |
Owning the Vision
Visioning involves something much deeper than simply describing the kind of church a leader wishes to plant or the kind of people he wants to serve. Visioning requires the leader to embrace with every part of his being what he considers to be the ideal biblical church, the kind of church Jesus would start. This conviction emerges out of a prayerful attitude and in asking the question, “How can I obey the Bible here and now?” This question, in turn, consists of three parts: “How can I obey the Bible?” (a personal vision); “How can I obey the Bible?” (a theological vision); and “How can I obey the Bible here and now?” (a contextual vision). During the initial conversations with the church planter, the coach explores thoroughly these three issues that converge to define the vision for the new church (see Redeemer Church Planting Manual [CPM hereafter], pages 27-71).
1. Theological Vision for the Project. The theological vision focuses on elements of a biblical church and the specific values that apply scriptural concepts to a given context. Explore with the church planter the common ministry values expected in new city churches (CPM, pages 42-43). As a way to gain understanding of biblical values, use the following questions as starters:
Sample Questions for Understanding One’s Biblical Values: |
- What do you consider of utmost importance in the prospective church?
- What biblical principles regarding the church resonate most strongly with you?
- Of the seven values listed [in the CPM], which ones do you consider to be most important?
- In what ways would you change the wording of these values to fit your communication style? To fit the context of your target area?
|
|
|
|
|
2. Contextual Vision for the Project. The contextual vision draws heavily on the needs of the neighborhood in which the church planter plans to live and work (CPM, pp. 57-59). Once the preliminary demographic study for the target area is complete, the coach and church planter can meet to discuss the following items: 1) Is this an appropriate area for a new church? 2) Does the church planter as leader of this new initiative “fit” with the intended target group? 3) Is the church planting project a pioneer (start from scratch) or a hive-off? Additional questions to ask in order to evaluate contextual and cultural “fit” may go as follows:
Sample Questions To Evaluate One’s Cultural and Contextual Fit: |
- Where do you most feel at home? (i.e., Do you feel part of the ethnic population to be evangelized?) If target group is newly-arrived immigrants, do you know their “heart” language?
- What are the needs of the community? What are the hopes, dreams and fears of those in the target area?
- What characteristics of the new church do you envision will meet the needs of the target group?
- Will you start the project alone? Or with a core group that shares your vision for this community?
|
|
|
|
|
3. The Personal Vision for the Project. The personal vision aspect involves the leadership gifts, calling, and abilities of the church planter. Leaders come in many forms and with unequal distribution of gifts and talents. Some are strong in leadership skills but weak in public speaking gifts. Others excel in counseling but are less gifted in evangelism. Not all church planting pastors are equally gifted in the seven competency areas necessary for effective church planting (CPM, pp. 69-70). The focus on personal vision acknowledges strengths and gift-deficient areas in the church planter and proposes gift-development strategies as well as an appropriate situation suited to the strengths of the church planter.
Sample Questions To Assess One’s Personal Church Planting Abilities
|
- What specific ministries do you enjoy? What ministries to you seek to avoid?
- Where do you find a growing desire to serve God using a specific gift?
- What confirmation have you received in your preaching, in evangelism, in leading?
- What is your plan for developing your gift-deficient areas?
- In what ways does your communication and leadership style fit the context of your target area?
- What evidence supports your degree of tolerance toward urban life ambiguities? To what degree do you consider yourself sensitive to urban sensibilities? Explain.
|
|
|
|
|
Learning and Planning
Before finalizing his action plan for the prospective project, the church planter should immerse himself thoroughly in the geographic context. The best approach to “total immersion,” of course, involves living among the people he seeks to serve, learning their idioms, studying their humor, enjoying their foods, listening to their stories and singing their songs. This living-in-community learning becomes more natural and more thorough once the church plant gets under way. A normal progression is planning, then launching, then learning much more, and then revising the model.
1. Research. The starting point for any church planting project involves in-depth research of the target area. Demographic research is quite straight forward, while ethnographic research is time-consuming and more complex. By developing people profiles, the church planter learns a great deal about the people he seeks to serve and the nuances of their lives, such as their worldview perspectives, social context and religious institutions (CPM, pp. 79-83).
Sample Questions To Awaken Learning Disciplines: |
Demographic
- Who are the people?
- What is their economic base?
- What ethnic groups are represented?
- How many households are two-parent families?
Ethnographic
- What are they like?
- What are their hopes, aspirations, fears and problems?
- What would an average John and Mary look like in this community? Develop a sample profile.
|
|
|
|
|
2. Philosophy of Ministry. A philosophy of ministry (POM) describes how a new church plant will reach its specific neighborhood for Christ. This “how” element involves all elements of style, from the kind of music offered and the level of emotion displayed in the service to the community outreach projects offered. It carefully describes the church’s approach to preaching, evangelism, community life and outreach. Far from being a whim, a fad or a preference, these descriptors should reflect biblical norms. Every new church should ask, “What is the specific calling of our church?,” out of which flows the answer, the unique identity and character of this new church-planting project (CPM, pp. 85-107).
Sample Questions To Craft a Philosophy of Ministry: |
- Who are you as a church? (The church’s basic beliefs and theological commitments)
- Why are you here? (The church’s purpose)
- How will you accomplish your stated purposes? (The church’s POM)
- What tasks and jobs will your church perform? (The church’s goals and objectives)
|
|
|
|
|
3. Action Plan. The research findings and the philosophy of ministry come together in a summarizing document called the action plan. In addition to its summarizing function, the action plan includes a projecting function as well. It looks to the long term with specific concern for laying the right foundation at the beginning. The Church Planter Planning Arrow (CPM, pages 111-119) and sample planning document illustrate the elements of an action plan. The Arrow includes seven elements to provide a blueprint for the church plant, a launch document for communicating the vision, as well as specific goals and strategies. (Each of these elements can be studied and revised on their own but each one also fits into a coordinated whole.)
Sample Questions To Assist the Planning Function: |
- What is your vision or purpose for the new church?
- What convictions or values are appropriate for the context?
- What measurable goals have you set for the first six months? First year?
- What strategies have you identified for accomplishing your goals?
- What documents have you prepared for sharing your vision (i.e., brochures, electronic newsletters, etc.)
- What document(s) have you prepared to raise funds for the project?
|
|
|
|
|
Launching the Church
Whereas many sources help in developing specific strategies for gathering the first 50 people (and the next 50, and the next 50), our effort here is to focus on the three big issues pertaining to church planting excellence: evangelism (connecting people to Christ), discipleship (building Christians into servant leaders) and leadership development (training and releasing servant leaders). The first few days, weeks and months of the new project set the primary trajectory and establish the identity of the new church.
1. Connecting People to Christ. Evangelistic networking is a mindset that befriends people and provides pathways into the gospel. The launch team is key in demonstrating these friend-making skills and in fervently praying for all evangelistic efforts. The primary event to which newcomers will want to invite friends is evangelistic worship, the elements of which are essential for continued outreach. Evangelistic momentum is maintained through community groups and church-life events (see CPM, pp. 123-143).
Sample Questions To Raise Awareness Regarding Evangelism: |
- What strategies have you outlined to cultivate a mindset of networking?
- What networking follow-up strategies have you put into place?
- In what ways have you encouraged kingdom-focused prayer?
- What elements have you developed to make worship comprehensible to unbelievers and un-churched?
- What role do community groups play in the new church?
- In what ways have you helped new people assimilate into small groups?
|
|
|
|
|
2. Building Christians into Servant Leaders. Discipleship involves the basic premise that instruction and ministry go together. Biblical content, real life experiences and community together create the best environment for life transformation. A disciple-making plan sifts out inappropriate programs and clarifies vision, identifies key transitions, and provides a decision-making structure (see chart on page 146, CPM). Through the disciple-making framework, enrollees enter appropriate courses in the school of gospel foundations, join in leading community groups, and participate in mercy ministries. This combination of progressive learning and actual ministry involvement is what shapes future leaders.
Sample Questions For Developing Mature Christians: |
- In what ways have you seen God develop leaders in your new church?
- What is your design for an effective leadership development program?
- What courses have you introduced to build gospel foundations?
- In what ways have you combined instruction with hands-on ministry?
- What plan do you have in place to train small-group leaders?
|
|
|
|
|
3. Training and Releasing Servant Leaders. The challenge in leadership development is to balance knowing, doing and being. While it is relatively easy to give knowledge, it is much more difficult to affect behavior (doing) and most difficult to transform character (being). The objective of leadership training is to respond to the learners’ needs in such a way that all three elements flourish; that is, the participant grows in knowledge, matures in character and gains competence in ministry skills. Learners grow in relationship to God as they explore the tensions between their experience, the Bible’s teaching and their individual response in obedience (CPM, pp. 167-171).
One of the most effective ways to deliver training is through mentors in specific ministry contexts. A mentor provides the learner with new perspectives, accountability and encouragement.
As an added bonus in the area of leadership development, this training provides leaders for internal ministry (officers, community groups, mentor/coaches) as well as external ministry (mercy ministries, church planting and marketplace ministries).
Sample Questions On Training and Releasing Leaders: |
- What curriculum have you devised or borrowed to ground leaders in knowing the values and theology of your church?
- What ministry and leadership skills are essential for urban church leaders?
- What studies are especially helpful in knowing and walking with God?
- In what ways do you determine if leaders are growing in godly character?
- What are your solutions for dealing with leadership attrition?
|
|
|
|
|
Conclusion
Each church plant is unique, and therefore, coaches must adjust to the fact that there is no standard solution to the many issues, opportunities and problems that emerge in a church planting situation. Prayer for wisdom will be needed constantly, as well as ongoing patience and encouragement; it usually takes two to three years to train a church planter.
|
|
