Phase 1: Connecting	Phase 2: Planting	Phase 3: Developing	Phase 4: Establishing**
Stage	Ministry Conversation	Ministry Point	Ministry Community	Established Church
Characteristics	Conversation in process	Planter(s) approved	Launch period	Transitioning to self-sufficiency
Time Frame	2 months	6 months	Approx. 2 years	Approx. 1 year
Leadership	Going through hiring process	Leader identified and received by sponsoring church as the Lead Pastor	Potential leaders and elders have been identified and are being equipped to take on leadership within the church	Elder board and leadership systems in place and the church is fully self-sufficient
Meeting Times	N/A	Regular Launch Team meetings and training	Meeting weekly with congregation	Multiple ministries meeting on a regular basis (small-groups, youth, etc)
Commitment to Serve	Demonstrated in the potential leader(s)	Part of DNA of pre-launch and launch strategies	Ministries forming around community service	On-going and consistent community service
Commitment to Generosity	Demonstrated in the potential leader(s)	Launch Team demonstrates commitment	Growing generosity of congregation	Involved in First Fruits, Missions, NCD, etc.
Focus of Equipping	Demonstrated in the potential leader(s)	Pre-launch team discipleship	Raising up volunteers to do the work of the ministry	Volunteers established in multiple ministries
Disciple Making	Demonstrated in the potential leader(s)	Disciple making plan in place	Disciple making plan implemented and new believers are being discipled	Disciples are making disciples and the church is sending out missionaries or new church planters
Legal Status	None	Under the care of a sponsoring church or NCD	Beginning independent legal status requirements	Achieved 501[c][3] legal status

**To be recognized as a fully established church within EFC-SW certain criteria must be met. See Appendix E: The Steps to Becoming on Established EFC-SW Church.