Church Planting Philosophy

7 CRITICAL FACTORS FOR PLANTING CHURCHES

Have you ever been to a pumpkin festival? It's a small town fair which celebrates the harvest. One of the central symbols of the harvest is the pumpkin. That's why they call it a pumpkin festival.

Anyway, contests are staged to determine the biggest, heaviest, most perfect or best tasting pumpkins. One of the most interesting is the Most Unusually Shaped Pumpkin Contest. To enter, one places a very small pumpkin into a larger and uniquely shaped container. As the pumpkin grows, it takes on the shape of the container. This produces pumpkins shaped like coffee cans, flower vases or whatever else. The pumpkin will grow into and be shaped by its environment.

Church planting is similar. Only Jesus Christ can build a new church. However, He never starts a church without getting people involved. Mankind's responsibility is to provide a receptacle, i.e. create an environment, in which Jesus can plant dynamic, prayerful and reproductive churches.

Several determinates go into the creation of this environment. Evangelical Friends Church Southwest discovered these over the last 15 years from mistakes made. For example, since 1980, its survival rate for planting churches has been 65%. The national rate (among all denominations) is around 50%. However, in the last six years, it has been 90% for Evangelical Friends Church Southwest. The average cost to the New Church Development for the planting of these churches has declined to around $30,000. Several churches have been planted for under $10,000.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ that has done it. Evangelical Friends Church Southwest has tried to create an environment in which He works free of human restraints. The following is a short discussion of seven critical factors in church planting.

1. Involve a sponsoring church.

No one is an island. Neither is a new church plant. A sponsoring church aids in the birth of a new church by providing spiritual, financial, practical and emotional support. Why? First, its good for the new church. A new church plant often is nothing more than a leader with a vision. To bring the dream into reality requires an established congregation to work with the planter in the starting of the new congregation. This in turn helps the sponsoring church. It brings the joy of starting a new church, new growth within its own body, a deepening of leadership skills within its leaders, and perpetuation of God's Kingdom.

Recently, a church planting couple experienced a major physical setback. The wife became very ill. In an established church, the elders would have prayed for her. The work was so new, they hadn't yet gathered a core group of believers. It was extremely helpful to this couple to have a group of people from their sponsoring churches come and pray for them. Had that group not done so, the project might have died.

2. Invest in choosing pastoral leadership.

Planting a church is a formidable task. It takes a specifically called and gifted person to do it. Even the most qualified don't automatically succeed. It is wise to assure that the planter is well suited and trained.

Thirteen identifiable SKAG's (Skills, Knowledge, Abilities or Gifts) make up the profile of a church planter. Recently developed assessment tools help determine if these SKAG's are present in a planter's behavior. More important is spiritual discernment. Just as the first recorded church planters were chosen through prayer and fasting (Acts 13:1-4), so the choosing of modern day planters should be characterized by prayer and tasting. Investment in the very best scientific and spiritual resources when selecting church planters helps secure a bountiful harvest.

A fine church planter was skeptical about attempting a church plant. Once he passed through the assessment system, and spent time in prayer and fasting, he became convinced that God had called him to planting. The assessments played a pivotal role in helping him discern God's will for his ministry. Helping him to identify his SKAG's allowed him to step out in confidence and obedience.

3. Act strategically.

A baby spends nine months in the safety of its mother's womb to develop systems (digestive, respiratory, etc.) that allow it to function as a human being. A new church must also have systems that allow it to develop into the church God desires it to become. These include strategies as diverse as leadership development and financial operations.

The implementation of these systems usually runs into a hurdle...or two...or three. If any one of these systems cannot be put into place, it is wise to consider the prudence of continuing the project. On the other hand, it is exciting to see the Lord knock down most obstacles. This confirms it is working in the plant, strengthens faith, builds momentum and effects celebration.

One new church now meets in a theater. One of it's strategic benchmarks was the finding of an appropriate place to meet. After several disappointments, the Lord opened the door to the cinema. It was inexpensive and enjoyed an ideal location. It is one of the primary reasons the church has thrived. And the Lord did it.

4. Provide excellent coaching for the planter.

What does a coach do? In a highly relational context, and in grace and truth, a coach spurs the planter on to excellence in ministry and balance in personal life, enabling him, his family and his church plant to attain God's highest goal. A coach does this by loving God; loving the planter, and loving new churches.

A new church was struggling with its small group ministry. The pastor was at a loss as to how to overcome the lethargic attitude of the congregation towards the formation of this outreach. In the philosophy of this church, small groups is a key ministry. He met with his coach, who had experienced a similar challenge. The planter made adjustments in his approach. The ministry improved. God used the coach to turn long term frustration into a long term solution.

5. Emphasize God's provision from the beginning.

A growing body of evidence suggests that the more outside money used in starting a new church, the less likely it will quickly become a strong self supporting congregation. If financial support comes from only one outside source, it is easy for the new congregation to insist on that source for aid when things get tough (and they will). That source, not God, may be looked upon as the fount of all blessing.

Although it is foolish to believe that there should be no monetary assistance from EFCSW, it is unwise to think that it should all come from there. Financial crisis is an important developmental phase of a new church. It is wonderful for a fledgling congregation to see God's provision early on when less is at stake. It allows their faith to grow in proportions with its needs. That way, later on when the need is great, they will find the faith to match it.

One non-English speaking church is a great example of this principle. Because EFCSW coffers were empty when a core group emerged, they were forced to consider their commitment to the project. They discerned that God had called them to start the church, and that they would sacrifice even more as an emerging congregation. God blessed their faithfulness. They have grown to the point where they are able to hire a full time pastor with nominal help from EFCSW funds. God provided for their needs.

6. Concentrate on building a core group before building a congregation.

Pastoral leadership is important, but not omnipotent. One person can not go it alone. From nearly the beginning, it requires a group of dedicated leaders who understand the need for and vision of a new church. These people are the prayers, workers and givers. When the critical mass of the core group is large enough to begin a higher profile outreach program, these become the Sunday School teachers, the small group leaders, the ushers, the musicians, the nursery workers. They are the muscle of the new church.

Hugo is a good example of this. As a pastor, he first tried to utilize a big direct appeal blitz in order to raise up a congregation. After efforts with tele-marketing and direct mail, he had one family attend the (not so) "grand opening." From there, Hugo tried to build from the inside out. He personally began to hold evangelistic Bible studies with friends and acquaintances. As the critical mass grew, he found it easier to use wider methods of gathering a crowd. Because of the committed Christians he had discipled, he was able to establish the church. It is now a solid and self-supporting congregation.

7. Choose an appropriate facility.

Facility is the pot in which a church plant grows. The more adequate the pot, the better the growth. People are attracted to a building that has a simple, functional appeal. Demographics would be included in this factor as well. The goal is to plant a new church in a neighborhood hungry for the gospel, in a facility that will be inviting to the community.

As mentioned, a recent church plant meets in a cineplex. It has appeal to many who might be apprehensive about sitting in a pew, but have often sat in a theatre seat. Kids love the novelty. It is inexpensive. It allows the new congregation to live out the fact that a church is not a building. It is people.

The following testimony celebrates the primary reason to plant churches. It was given at the worship celebration of West Community Friends Church of Corona on its first anniversary.

"Hi, I'm Tammy Ringer. I'm a stay-at-home mom with two children under three years old. My husband and I moved to Corona about six months before West Community Friends Church opened on Easter Sunday last year. So we were looking for a church to attend.

And if anyone had told me a year ago that I'd be up here speaking to all of you, I would have said, 'You're crazy. My family and I can't even find a seat!'

And if someone had told me, 'Oh, and you're going to dedicate your life to Christ here.' I would have said, What? But this is a theatre, there's a band and singers, and besides, the pastor's so young! This isn't the kind of church I'm used to attending.' But there is the place where I finally heard the message that made me let Jesus take control and live within my heart.

Before I became a Christian I never had many friends. And after I became a Christian I started asking God, 'What's the matter with me? Am I ever going to have any friends!' That's when God put it on my heart that I had to make Jesus Christ my best friend before I could be a true friend to anyone else. So I became faithful and God has blessed me so.

Now I have many friends. The ladies I work with in the nursery, the moms in the preschooler play group, the couples from care group, the women's retreat committee, the Easter Egg Hunt committee, Renee Coggins, Cherie Groll, and of course Pastor Dave and Rosalie.

I've learned to come here to give. If there is a need, fill it. And God has rewarded me with a great bunch of people I call friends."

To plant and grow new churches while considering these seven critical factors is to cooperate with the Master Builder himself. And then, new churches will experience perhaps thousands of testimonies just like Tammy's.