Developing a Regional Church Multiplication Strategy

Presenter: Dr. Dan Morgan Associate Professor of Missions Director, Nehemiah Project at SWBTS Fort Worth, TX

Session 1

The Impact of Regional Strategies- Two Case Studies

The Impact of the Status Quo

 The Northwest Baptist Convention  Stuck at 450 churches for 20 years  The Willamette Valley  No church plants for a decade  Bluebonnet Association  Struggling financially, no new work in seven years

Association Ministry Capacity

  A function of church ministry capacity Churches older than ten years tend to be stable, but not showing net growth. Often in slow decline.

 So, without church planting, associations stagnate  Yet, your stewardship is for each soul in your region – this should generate urgency

Story 1: Bluebonnet Baptist Assoc

 Arrived 1999    one 7-yr old anglo plant still on support Two old hispanic missions – on support A few churches willing to sponsor  Status Quo growth  Occasional maverick plants and affiliates  Occasional church fight results in a split  What was needed was a strategic plan

Strategic Planting

 Three kinds: clone, state-forced, partnership    Clone – not adaptable to new contexts and takes members from existing churches State-forced – Sometimes breeds resentment in local churches Partnership – keeps ownership in the hands of the local church by making them partners in the process [J.K.’s preference]

Doing it right – Forming Partnerships

 Dr Minton identified three critical issues that would make or break an associational approach    Outside pressure – form a partnership with at least three local churches, so they have a majority and can resist outside pressure Project control – partnership shares control Planter accountability – Begins with selection of a trustworthy, capable planter, then works through a covenanted relationship w/ team

The Results

      2001 – first Strategic Planning Team – plant failed due to poor planter selection 2002 – Everyday Fellowship – Corey Webb – good assessment – successful plant 2003 – 2006 – four churches per year Now 18 total, 2 failed, 7 self-supporting, 1 not supported, rest in phase-down 60% of churches help sponsor, number continues to grow All plants become partners in new projects

Particulars of J.K.’s Plan

 Uses a 2-yr phase down, helps them prepare to go bi vo if they aren’t going to reach self-support in the two years  Right now there are 7 churches somewhere in the process with four more scheduled for 2007  This is a funded process, so growth is limited by state and assoc. funding ability – this is a limiting factor

Reproducing

  I sponsored a seminar in 2004 for ADOMs Jim Gaitliff attended and picked up on J.K.’s process  He customized it for his setting, then systematized it as a program called PRIME  Now he is training other associations in his system

Story 2: Kauf-Vann & Hunt Assoc

 Jim is a long-time Texas pastor who became the associate ADOM for two associations in 2004.

   No strategy, he was hired to establish one Attended J.K.’s training Formalized an approach around four milestones

Jim’s milestones

    Right Place – develop list of sites for plants  Windshield surveys, demographic studies, etc Right Planter – Screened and matched to a site  Recruited from churches, college, seminary Right Partners – local churches, assoc, state, NAMB, non-local partner church Right Plan – Planter develops detailed plan, and is trained to implement it

Results

 Hunt Association    10 partner churches at start 17 missions funded Gone from 68 to 86 churches in 30 months  Kauf-Vann Association  7 partner churches to start, now 30 partners, 40% of total churches partner in planting   20 missions funded Gone from 62 to 81 churches, 3 Hispanic cells, 4 multi-housing cells

Reproduction

 Jim is training several Texas associations in his system  Oklahoma and Missouri state staffs have requested versions of PRIME for their states  Jim is training the Hudson Baptist Association in New York State in this process as I speak

Session Wrapup

 It is possible to move a stagnant association toward remarkable growth  There are a limited number of problems that must be solved for success  These two leaders have hit on a systematic approach that points the way forward for all of us.

 The next session will look in depth at that systematic approach

Session 2

A Systematic Approach to Church Multiplication

Pre-requisites

  A leader willing to engage the problem A compelling message to raise awareness and recruit a few pastors to the task  An association willing to let the staff try and make a difference

Issues to address

    The strategy can’t depend on pulling members out of existing churches, nor on a significant increase in the average church’s giving No one entity can have unbridled control over a church plant project The system must be able to resist outside pressure that would subvert the process The planter must be able to implement his vision, but with accountability for results, character, and theology

A Model System

     A Process to develop a prioritized list of strategic church planting sites/people groups A process to develop a pool of qualified planters and match them to strategic sites A process to form a Strategic Planning Team for each project and initiate that project A process to preserve and expand the resource base: partners, money, planters A process to reproduce the process in churches, associations, and state conventions

Finding Sites and People Groups

 Who? – make it a major part of someone’s job description; Key: it must be constantly updated and re-prioritized with input from the ADOM  Sites and Groups are the warp and woof of targeting plants, so you need both geo and demo info  Matching projects with planters is a dynamic process that needs active advocacy by the ADOM or strategist

Finding Planters

   Assess for general aptitude and character Match planter passion with particular projects  This requires trained assessors and coaches  Seminary, College, Career sources all contribute As the pool of assessors grows, assess toward specific contexts and models

Forming the SPT – Who?

  State, association always in Particular churches are asked  A church plant  A never-sponsored-before church  A major funding church  The planter will lead the team

Forming the SPT – How?

 The ADOM/strategist matches a project with a planter and invites potential partners to meet  The first meeting is to assess the planter and agree to call.

 The second meeting, the planter presents his plan and it is reviewed, then a covenant is formed.

 Partners commit funding, and forms the first quarter budget  Planter commits strategy and to be accountable

Expanding the Resource Base

    The staff is always on the lookout for potential planters, and partners with church planter training centers The staff invites new partners with each project. Minor partners often become major partners in a subsequent project Plants are required to escrow a percentage of receipts for sponsoring church planting – partner the second year Partner outside assoc. for funding, while funding is growing internally

Session 3

The Strategic Planning Team – Key to success

Principles for Success

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Covenanted partnership Expanding the pool of sponsors Planter free to implement his strategy Partners fund a quarterly budget based on demonstrated need Partners help assess planter Planter needs a veteran planter coach

The Covenant

     Partners commit for the duration of the project   Meeting quarterly to review results Monthly giving to church plant The planter is guaranteed the right to implement his strategy The planter commits to be accountable to team for results, finances, character State and Assoc. partners adjust their money quarterly as planter’s budget requires Signed, everyone gets a copy

Initiating the SPT

  Minton has SPT assess planter, Gaitliff has team of assessors do it.

 ADOM or staff asks churches to consider being a partner. Commitment adjusted to fit the church.

SPT gathers to review strategic plan of planter, commit funds, and to sign a covenant.

Quarterly Meetings

  Budget is funded quarter by quarter Planter is in charge of the meeting    Reviews results of ministry initiatives Reviews finances Reviews plan for next quarter and the money it will take to do it  Project growth in people & finances to stay on tract for self-support  State and Assoc. leaders commit funding

Between Meetings

  ADOM or strategist is contact person Planter cultivates relationship with partners – increases buy-in of partner congregations to this project and planting in general  Planter spends to limits of his budget to accomplish stated objectives

Session 4

From addition to multiplication

Model and honor multiplication

  Planters who will sponsor other plants Honor sponsors at annual meeting, etc, especially “grandparents”  Honor dying churches who sponsor a church and then give it their resources once it is established

Break Dependence on Money, Buildings, and Seminary training

  All of these are good in themselves, but can’t be turned into a CPM.

Broaden planting to “new work” and include new units that are dependent on a mother church as well as independent  Establish a system to get leaders from the harvest   Recruiting – “calling out the called” Training – OJT & lay Bible classes

Use World Missions to Fuel Local Missions

    IMB short-term missions & journeyman NAMB short-term & USC-2 Correspond with and host missionaries Take advantage of cross-cultural skills brought back by journeymen and missionaries

Push the System into the Local Church

See Article

You have been given stewardship

     Of a region of this earth Over all the people groups who dwell in it To establish the Kindgom Working through local churches Until He returns