STEP 1: RECRUIT
“to identify potential church planters or church planting team members and see them enrolled in the church planting school (CPS).”
What: Communicate church planting vision to like minded “Kingdom Churches” and leaders so that potential new church leaders are identified and encouraged to undergo practical church planting training.
How: Personal referrals/networks; websites; strategic networks; information sessions
Who: Other like minded leaders; Equip network personnel; CPS Advisory and Ministry Boards. A good recruiter can identify the call of God on a person’s life.
When: On-going
Where: Across Australia and overseas; inter-denominational
STEP 2: ASSESS
“assist the CPS student to identify their personality/gifting/leadership profile, thereby helping them to identify the best place for the fulfilment of God’s call on their life. Part of this process will identify the suitability of CPS students to plant churches or be part of a team that plant churches."
What: What is the profile of a successful church planter and/or a church planting team member?
How: (DiSC); personality, spiritual gifting and experience assessment questionnaires; online assessment tools (eg http://eli.churchplanterprofiles.com/cake/)
Who: Trained assessors; specialist assessment tool assessors eg DiSC assessors
When: On-going, prior to commencement of CPS
Where: Across Australia and overseas; inter-denominational. Assessments methods must be able to be used in a variety of cultures and by a variety of people.
STEP 3: TRAIN
“to provide practical, relevant training to equip the potential church planter or church planting team member”
What: Curriculum based on the Bob Robert’s material. Four principles of Kingdom, Discipleship, Church and Society (refer to curriculum notes below). Training may also entail specialist electives catering for the different needs of a church plant leader versus a team member. Training may also entail an overseas short-term missions trip.
How: Intensives, internet based, CD-Rom teaching tools, church internships
Who: Trained teachers and trainers; experienced church leaders/planters
When: CPS intensives to be held twice a year, however, internet based learning allows for on-going and flexible delivery. It is anticipated that training would be completed within a 12 month period.
Where: Across Australia and overseas; inter-denominational. Training package must be able to be used in a variety of cultures and by a variety of people.
STEP 4: PLANT
“to put into practice the lessons from the CPS training”
What: To start a new church. This church does not necessarily form part of the SWCC network. It may be interdenominational, overseas etc.
How: Church planter, in conjunction with a team, identifies the area in which to plant, what the new church will look like, how he/she will start etc. The new church plant leader will be expected to plan the new church plant in consultation with the assigned coach and other experienced church leaders.
Who: Church plant leader and their church planting team
When: The timing of the new church plant will be dependent on the method used by the church plant leader. It is anticipated that a new church plant leader will not commence a new church plant until they have completed the CPS.
Where: Area identified by the church plant leader in consultation with church plant coaches and trainers.
STEP 5: COACH
What: Provide ongoing leadership, personal training and encouragement for the new church planter.
How: Each church planter will be referred to an experienced church leader, skilled at coaching other leaders. Provision will also be made for ongoing training through intensives, workshops and internet based training. “One on one” coaching ‘meetings’ may utilise technology such as Skype.
Who: Coaches will be carefully selected having demonstrated both an ability to effectively coach other leaders, as well as sharing the same ethos of the CPS. From time to time the coach’s role will be to identify and connect the church planter with specialist help.
When: As needed, although it is envisaged that the coach and church planter will “meet” at least monthly.
Where: Due to use of technology, coaching is not limited by geographical distance.
STEP 6: SUPPORT
What: Ongoing practical support for the church planter.
How: Through consultation with the coach, areas of need will be identified. The coach will help the church planter to identify who/what may be able to help meet that need.
Who: Coaches will seek to connect the church planter with specialist providers eg financial experts; OHS - depending on the need.
When: As needed – although the long term goal is to help the church planter find their own resources.
Where: Due to technology, this can occur just about anywhere at anytime.
CURRICULUM SUMMARY
1. KINGDOM
What is the Kingdom? What does it have to do with planting a church? How can a better understanding of the Kingdom make me a better, more productive disciple? We research all these questions and more here in the Kingdom Module.
2. DISCIPLE
Making disciples is a command from Jesus himself. So, how do you make disciples? Are you making disciples? If so, what are their weaknesses and strengths? When starting a new church, how you make disciples is key! In the Disciple Module, we will discuss what it means to both be and make a disciple of the Kingdom.
3. SOCIETY
Engagement of society isn’t an after-thought or add-on ministry. It should be the life-blood of every church and individual disciple. While some people “get saved” and extract themselves (or their disciples) out of society, we insert our disciples directly back into society to make a Kingdom impact. We’ll discuss how to do that in the Society Model.
4. CHURCH
It seems everywhere you turn today, people are talking about the church. From Church growth, to church health and being missional - “church” seems to be the hot topic. But what, exactly, is the church? How does one ensure that they are planting a healthy, Kingdom-minded church? And what does it mean to be “missional” anyway? Learn from today’s top practitioners and join in the discussion in the Church Module.
