Launch Team Training Handout for New City Boston

E A S T C O A S T C O N F E R E N C E O F T H E E VA N G E L I C A L C O V E N A N T C H U R C H

Launch TeamTraining DayFeb rua r y 23 , 2013 • Bos ton MA

New City Covenant Church

Notes :

2 | Launch Team Training • New City Covenant Church, Boston MA • East Coast Conference • Sat Feb 23, 2013

Sa tu rday Morn i ng

Opening Devotional“Outsiders, Insiders, Friends, Family”What are the four types of people typically drawn to a new church community?

Who you embrace is who you become, choose wisely!

• “Outsiders” - Matthew 12:46-50 confuse concern with control

• “Insiders” - Matthew 20:20-22a, 24-28confuse position with purpose

• “Friends” - John 20:24-26, Matt 22:11-14 - mostly positive; caution: don’t confuse sentiment with covenant

• “Family” - Matt. 12:50, Galatians 3:26-29 - mostly positive; caution: don’t confuse membership with mission

Welcome & IntrosLeadership & Support

• T.C. Moore, Lead Pastor & Planter, New City Boston, newcityboston.org

• Larry Kim, Coach (Pastor, Cambridge Community Fellowship Church)

• Jason Condon, Director of Church Planting

Group Intros: • Share your name and what you love about where you live

• Why are you involved in or exploringthe New City Boston church planting project?

• What do you hope to get out of today?

3 | Launch Team Training • New City Covenant Church, Boston MA • East Coast Conference • Sat Feb 23, 2013

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Audio | Full Message Version of Devotional • http://archive.org/download/

OutsiderInsiderFriendFamily-ChooseWisely/OutsiderInsiderFamilyFriend-ChooseWisely.m4a

• First presented Sat March 11 at Launch Team Training Day for Sanctuary Church, Providence RI; Highrock Northshore, Salem MA; Highrock Quincy, Quincy MA

Our Larger Church Family East Coast Conferencewww.eastcoastconf.org

Our Mission: “Believing we are a movement of God, the mission of the East Coast Conference is to Multiply Churches, Orchestrate Ministries, Vitalize Congregations, and Empower Leaders”

Our Regional Mission Field:• Maine, New Hampshire,

Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, • Eastern New York, New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania, • Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C., and most of Virginia

Conference Staff• Howard Burgoyne, Superintendent• Jason Condon, Director of Church Planting (Assoc Sup)• Kreig Gammelgard, Dir. of Congregational Vitality (Assoc Sup)• Alicia Sturdy, Office Manager

Evangelical Covenant Churchwww.covchurch.org

The “Four Als” of the CovenantTwo historic questions Covenanters asked one another:

• Biblical: “Where is it written?”• Devotional: “How goes your

walk?”As they formed in the US, they took on the name “Mission Friends”:

• Missional: Are we pursuing Christ’s purposes?

• Connectional: Are we together in Christian community?

4 | Launch Team Training • New City Covenant Church, Boston MA • East Coast Conference • Sat Feb 23, 2013

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11 Regional Conferences Comprise the Larger Missional Regions of the Evangelical Covenant Church

Covenant’s Five Strategic Priorities: covchurch.org/what-we-do1. Make and Deepen Disciples

2. Start and Strengthen Churches

3. Develop Leaders

4. Love Mercy, Do Justice

5. Serve Globally

Covenant Affirmations: covchurch.org/who-we-are/beliefs/affirmations1. Centrality of the word of God

2. Necessity of the new birth

3. Commitment to the whole mission of the church

4. Church as a fellowship of believers

5. Conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit

6. Reality of freedom in Christ

Vision & ValuesAnswers: “Who are we and where are we going?”“Zera” (Seed) Verse: what is the biblical story of your new church?

Vision: what is the dream and destination? God’s preferred future.

Values: What defines your` church and its culture? • Non-negotiables that help you say “yes” and “no” to

options and opportunities. God’s unique design.• Between 3-8 Core Values for your church, more is too

many

communicate these often, clearly, and consistently in word & deed!

BREAK | 11 :15am- i sh

5 | Launch Team Training • New City Covenant Church, Boston MA • East Coast Conference • Sat Feb 23, 2013

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5min | TEAM TIME: • Which of these

“family characteristics” resonates most with you?

• Why is it important to be connected with a larger family of faith?

• What are the challenges of not just being “independent”?

30min | TEAM TIME: • Pastor: spend 5

minutes communicating the church plant’s “seed verse,” vision, and values to your Launch Team

• Team: Then take 25 minutes discussing these and answering questions

Four-StageLaunch ProcessYour first twelve months of church planting

Purpose of Four-Stage Launch:• Build missional momentum and effectiveness

• While having “permission” to focus and pace yourselves accordingly

Overview of Four-Stage Launch: Timing & Benchmarks: Each stage is 3-4 months with clear healthy, missional benchmarks1. Stage 1 - Launch Team Development: gathering like-minded,

diversely gifted, missionally-motivated people into a cohesive team

2. Stage 2 - Monthly Preview Worship Services: reaching and gathering more people to the new church, developing effective ministry systems, practicing what you’ll become

3. Stage 3 - Weekly Pre-Launch Worship: continuing to reach and gather, refining the ministries, getting the systems right, acting “as if ”

4. Stage 4 - Grand Opening Launch: launching for accelerated growth and impact, unfettered outreach & evangelism, robust ministry systems

Four Scenarios for Adaptation1. New Church Plant: from scratch, not pre-existing

2. “2.0” Church Plant: pre-existing ministry, new to Covenant, from soft relaunch to hard reset

3. New Campus: extending church’s pre-existing ministry to a brand-new location or venue

4. New Worship Service: multiplying worship services (new times, different rooms, new styles, etc)

6 | Launch Team Training • New City Covenant Church, Boston MA • East Coast Conference • Sat Feb 23, 2013

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Cautions & Common Mistakes• New Church Plants (and sometimes Campuses or Worship

Services):

• go too fast, skimp on key components

• downplay or ignore benchmarks

• “2.0” Church Plants (and sometimes Campuses or Worship Services):

• assume “regular attenders” = “Launch Team”

• don’t make the “hard asks”

• don’t revisit foundational principles

Three Key Metrics:each is a blend of qualitative & quantitative measures1. Launch Team Members: Specifically asked to commit to the

church plant launch, the reliable leaders and workers, count on each other (balance of quality and quantity)

2. Worship Attendance: Through prayer, evangelism, invitation, events, marketing, follow-through, and more, reach or surpass goals for each stage (emphasis on quantity, care for quality)

3. Key Ministries: Deploy Worship, Children, Hospitality, Follow-up & Connection, Small Groups, Evangelism & Outreach (or others). Improve “letter grades” throughout each stage (emphasis on quality, care for quantity/capacity)

LUNCH | 12 :30pm- i sh

7 | Launch Team Training • New City Covenant Church, Boston MA • East Coast Conference • Sat Feb 23, 2013

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30min | TEAM TIME: • what scenario (or

blend) best represents your project? what are its advantages? disadvantages?

• what caution or mistake resonates most?

• what do you dislike about the Four-Stage Launch idea?

• what’s just one way it might be extremely helpful?

Example: Suggested Launch Timeline & BenchmarksExample: Suggested Launch Timeline & BenchmarksExample: Suggested Launch Timeline & BenchmarksExample: Suggested Launch Timeline & BenchmarksExample: Suggested Launch Timeline & BenchmarksExample: Suggested Launch Timeline & BenchmarksExample: Suggested Launch Timeline & BenchmarksExample: Suggested Launch Timeline & BenchmarksExample: Suggested Launch Timeline & BenchmarksExample: Suggested Launch Timeline & BenchmarksExample: Suggested Launch Timeline & BenchmarksExample: Suggested Launch Timeline & BenchmarksExample: Suggested Launch Timeline & BenchmarksSTAGE: Launch TeamLaunch TeamLaunch Team Preview Worship/Soft-LaunchPreview Worship/Soft-LaunchPreview Worship/Soft-Launch Weekly Pre-Launch WorshipWeekly Pre-Launch WorshipWeekly Pre-Launch Worship Grand Opening LaunchGrand Opening LaunchGrand Opening Launch

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

LT: 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 65 70 70 70

WA: N/A N/A N/A 100 110 120 90 105 120 150 140 130

KM: C C+ B- B B B+ B+ B+ A- A- A- A-

KEY: LT = Launch Team Members WA = Worship Attendance KM = Key Ministries Letter GradeKEY: LT = Launch Team Members WA = Worship Attendance KM = Key Ministries Letter GradeKEY: LT = Launch Team Members WA = Worship Attendance KM = Key Ministries Letter GradeKEY: LT = Launch Team Members WA = Worship Attendance KM = Key Ministries Letter GradeKEY: LT = Launch Team Members WA = Worship Attendance KM = Key Ministries Letter GradeKEY: LT = Launch Team Members WA = Worship Attendance KM = Key Ministries Letter GradeKEY: LT = Launch Team Members WA = Worship Attendance KM = Key Ministries Letter GradeKEY: LT = Launch Team Members WA = Worship Attendance KM = Key Ministries Letter GradeKEY: LT = Launch Team Members WA = Worship Attendance KM = Key Ministries Letter GradeKEY: LT = Launch Team Members WA = Worship Attendance KM = Key Ministries Letter GradeKEY: LT = Launch Team Members WA = Worship Attendance KM = Key Ministries Letter GradeKEY: LT = Launch Team Members WA = Worship Attendance KM = Key Ministries Letter GradeKEY: LT = Launch Team Members WA = Worship Attendance KM = Key Ministries Letter Grade

Sa tu rday A f t e rnoon

LeadershipReproducing leaders that effectively lead, serve, and multiply

2-2-2 Principle (from 2 Tim. 2:2)1. 1st Generation: Paul → Timothy

2. 2nd Gen: Timothy → “Reliable People”

3. 3rd Gen: “Reliable People” → “Others”

4. 4th Gen: “Others” → ...

Recognizing Potential ApprenticesThe Must-Haves:

• Spiritual Velocity (what’s their movement/direction, not just position in relation to Jesus?)

• Teachability (are they open to being developed and sharpened?)

• Relational Intelligence (do they get people, do people like them?)

The Bonuses:• Missional (are they willing to sacrifice for God’s mission?)

• Discerning (can they wisely discern things in people and situations?)

• Inclusive (do they love to bring people alongside them?)

• Biblically Knowledgeable (strong grasp on God’s Word?)

5 Steps of Leadership Development1. I do. You watch. We talk.

2. I do. You help. We talk.

3. You do. I help. We talk.

4. You do. I watch. We talk. 

5. You do. Someone else watches. You talk…

* Ideas and highlights on this page adapted from the Apprentice Field Guide, created by Community Christian Church. Available at www.lulu.com/shop/apprentice-field-guide/paperback/product-13387075.html

8 | Launch Team Training • New City Covenant Church, Boston MA • East Coast Conference • Sat Feb 23, 2013

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3 Question at each debrief (“We talk.”) • What worked?• What didn’t work?• How can we

improve?

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”~ The Apostle Paul

to Timothy(a seasoned church

planter to a younger church planter)

The Five APEST Ministries

“11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-13, NIV)

Apostle• “tasked with the overall vigor, as well as extension of Christianity

as a whole, primarily through direct mission and church planting”

Prophet• “called to maintain faithfulness to God among the people of God.

Essentially prophets are guardians of the covenant relationship”

Evangelist• “the recruiter to the cause, the naturally infectious person who is

able to enlist people into the movement by transmitting the gospel”

Shepherd (Pastor)• “called to nurture spiritual development, maintain communal

health, and engender loving community among the people of God”

Teacher• “mediates wisdom and understanding. This philosophical type

brings comprehensive understanding of the revelation bequeathed to the church”

Given “to each one of us”• Paul says in verse 7, “But, to each one of us [Greek hekasto] grace was

given, according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” Hekasto literally means “to each and every person.” This means every believer carries this APEST “missional code” into life and ministry with varying degrees of capacity and expression

Descriptions from The Permanent Revolution: Apostolic Imagination and Practice for the 21st Century Church, Alan Hirsch & Tim Catchim

9 | Launch Team Training • New City Covenant Church, Boston MA • East Coast Conference • Sat Feb 23, 2013

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The Leadership StoolCreated by Dave Olson, Evangelical Covenant Church

• All Three Legs are required

• The Seat provides strength & stability

• Legs should be near the same length

• Problem: no one has all in equal length

Spirituality: • commitment to deep spiritual transformation

that brings about the life-changing work of God in people

• Biblical insight and passion

• Devotions and intimacy with God

• Authentic self-revelation

• “PRAY”

Chemistry:• creates an inviting relational atmosphere within your church that

connects people to God’s community

• Personal relationships

• Small group dynamics

• Leading large gatherings

• “PLAY”

Strategy:• creates process of sequential actions that produce fruitful ministry

in line with God-directed goals.

• Ability to anticipate tomorrow

• How to get from point A to point B

• Delegation and administration

• “PLAN”

10 | Launch Team Training • New City Covenant Church, Boston MA • East Coast Conference • Sat Feb 23, 2013

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30min | TEAM TIME: self-select into the three groups around the room, joined by a leader representing your group’s Leadership Style• Leader with own group: What are our strengths & weaknesses?• Leader rotates and asks:

• What about us annoys each other? :-)• How should we communicate and interact

with you and show we value your style?• How can you do the same toward us?"

11 | Launch Team Training • New City Covenant Church, Boston MA • East Coast Conference • Sat Feb 23, 2013

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Stage 1: Launch Team DevelopmentWhat is a Launch Team? Simplest Definition: The ones that show up and get it done.

• Highly committed leaders and hard workers who will pray, sweat, laugh, cry, grow, and bleed together for the church planting mission to which God has called them

• As the Pastor, you can rely on them

• As the Launch Team, you can rely on each other

Purpose: build, assist, provide, become, create, protect • Invite Others

• Evangelism

• Develop Key Ministries

GatheringWhere will these people come from?

• pray, pray & pray some more! (Ask the Lord of the harvest…)

• work, work, & work some more! (faithful with the little things…)

• Parenting Churches, Partnering Churches, and Strategic Networks

• tap into, partner, and network with existing churches & organizations

• organize and execute well targeted gathering events (vision desserts, open house, picnics/bbqs, service projects, etc.)

Team Mix• Roughly 1/3rd each: Committed Christians,

Unchurched Christians, New Christians/Seekers

• reflective of your target (multi-ethnic, 18-30 yr-olds, etc.)

• balanced gifting (musical, kids, hospitality, admin, etc.)

Training Best Practices• Teach the Vision - “T-Shirt Test” (succinctly communicate its

essence)

• Key Ministries Teams – break the group into your 5 or 6 teams

• Pray and Practice - reduces fear, builds skills, increases success

12 | Launch Team Training • New City Covenant Church, Boston MA • East Coast Conference • Sat Feb 23, 2013

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CautionsLaunch Team Landmines

• “tasks not titles” (proven faithfulness and effectiveness)

• “process not promises” (leadership development path)

• faithfulness and fruitfulness need to be demonstrated

• Three “Highly” people to watch for and respond accordingly:

• Highly Controlling

• Highly Needy

• Highly Missional

Agenda Harmony: How do we keep this group together?• critical to have clearly defined DNA, mission and vision that are

Biblically based (cf. earlier session)

• planting pastor must be the champion, custodian, and defender of the mission, vision, and values

• out-counseling poor fits is a necessary leadership task

• self-selecting out is a mature response if the church plant is not a fit

Benchmarks• minimum 30 committed, gifted adults

• 50% of Launch Team from new contacts

• planter is seen as the legitimate leader of the group

• increasing number of people contacted, coming, and connecting with the group with growing enthusiasm

30min | TEAM TIME: Use poster paper if helpful...• Evaluate: What is the current make-up of your Launch Team?

What would God have you do to build a stronger Launch Team?• Strategize: Create initial strategy for reaching 30-40 people total

• usually 4:1 ratio, so probably need to connect with 120 people)• Put real names to list (as much as possible)• Pray for your list

13 | Launch Team Training • New City Covenant Church, Boston MA • East Coast Conference • Sat Feb 23, 2013

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Stage 2: Monthly Preview WorshipQuestion: What is one of the biggest mistakes church planters and their teams make early on?

Goals• accelerating growth

• continue to build momentum to more fully express what your church is becoming through public worship, and expanded attractional & incarnational ministries

Benchmarks• 75-125 at each monthly worship service (build momentum)

• 50 new people attending each preview service

• strong word-of-mouth: over half of guests from personal invitation

• roughly double size of the Launch Team

The ‘W’Reasoning behind the ‘W’ Rhythm

• for most, gathered worship is the high-bandwidth High Point of their experience of God and his community at a new church

• but there’s a tension, especially early on, also need Depth with Launch Team development, training, and small group experiences

• yet both “extremes” can overshoot many people you hope to reach, so also need some more accessible Middle Ground

Repeating Cycle: • each type of gathering is “open” (preview worship, launch team

meeting, gathering event, etc)

• purposefully invite people to each (may invite different people, different ways, for different portions)

• at each type of event also invite people to the other events

• should always be casting vision, calling to commitment, and inviting each time, adjusting appropriately to setting and audience

• Note Benchmarks from Suggested Launch Timeline

14 | Launch Team Training • New City Covenant Church, Boston MA • East Coast Conference • Sat Feb 23, 2013

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Wk 1: Preview Worship

Wk 2: Launch

Team Mtg

Wk 3: Gathering

Event

Wk 5:Preview Worship

Wk 4: Launch

Team Mtg

MONTH 1 MONTH 2 …

Suggested Rhythm• Worship: music, message, related key ministries, vision casting, a

vital invite opportunity to the following weeks (invite at each)

• Launch Team Mtg 1: orientation, bible study, vision-casting

• Gathering Event: picnic, bbq, service project, bowling, etc.

• Launch Team Mtg 2: prep key ministries teams for next Preview

• Worship: like Week 1, only improved upon, more new people, etc. (rinse, repeat!)

Applications• Brand-new Plants & Campuses - fairly straightforward,

though variations are possible (e.g. Preview Worship every other week, stretch out over summer lows, etc.)

• “2.0” Church Plants (had already been meeting weekly, usually bi-vocational pastor now full-time)

• Turn weekly meeting time into a feature, leveraging the existing structure and strengths… but still honor the principles!

• Build the rhythm and emphases into your weekly gathering, treat each gathering purposefully

Quick Group Discussion• What struggles might you face with the monthly worship concept

and execution with your group or in your context?

• Done well, what benefit will it bring?

30min | TEAM TIME: ‘W’ Posters• 3 Sheets: Put up three sheets on wall, side-by-side to create

three months of Ws (heading toward Stage 3)• Ideas: Write ideas on sheets

• follow the suggested rhythm• build each month as completely as possible (details, etc.) • it’s ok if you have wide variety of items (even mutually

exclusive) as you do this as a group project

LUNCH | 12 :30 pm

15 | Launch Team Training • New City Covenant Church, Boston MA • East Coast Conference • Sat Feb 23, 2013

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Stage 3: Weekly Pre-Launch WorshipNatural continuation of Stage 2, with still some freedom to tweak, improve, and over-haul as needed (plus, people are far more forgiving when it’s labeled “Pre-Launch” :)

Goals:• develop more strength and structure through vital ministry teams

and effective systems

• strengthen and improve your Key Ministries

• strengthen gathering and growing prior to Launch

• develop leadership and volunteers

• finalize Grand Opening Launch Strategy

Benchmarks• minimum of 80 in the weekly services (75 is the enemy!)

• quality of Key Ministries improving from B to B+/A-

• increasing number of people serving in ministry teams

• 50% of adults in “small groups”

Stage 4: ‘Grand Opening’ LaunchCulmination of the first three stages, with New City ready to go “fully public” with the mission and ministry

Goals:• launching strong (qualitative)

• launching large (quantitative)

• letting the entire community know we’re here!

• Help assure sustainability and growing Missional Impact for future generations

16 | Launch Team Training • New City Covenant Church, Boston MA • East Coast Conference • Sat Feb 23, 2013

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Benchmarks• Launch past 125 in Worship, stay above 125 throughout

• Key Ministries with letter grades at B+/A-

• Great facility that can accommodate growth to 200+

• Seeing increasing #s of people coming to Christ and connecting

• Healthy Mix: 1/3 mission-minded, 1/3 formerly de-churched, 1/3 formerly un-churched

Net Growth = (Visitor Flow x Retention Rate) – Backdoor LossVisitor Flow = how many first-timers experience the churchRetention Rate = % who become regulars at least for awhileBackdoor Loss = how many eventually leave for any reason

• pay attention to each of those variables so you know what’s working and what needs improvement (can be applied to worship service, small groups, or any “ministry” that should grow through people)

• easy to focus on the wrong thing, so get beneath the “numbers”

• Caveat: these are people, not soulless numbers - the “numbers” are merely a tool for fruitful accountability and ministry insight

Example 1: [10 visitors/mo x 20% Retention] - [2 leave/mo] = 2 stay/month - 2 leave/month = 0 Net Growth

• Possible Interpretation: 20% is actually a fairly good retention rate and 2/month departing isn’t bad either, therefore increasing the number of visitors (through prayer, invitation, hospitality, etc.) will likely increase Net Growth

Example 2: [20 visitors/mo x 10% Retention] - [2 leave/mo] = 2 stay/month - 2 leave/month = 0 Net Growth

• Possible Interpretation: 10% isn’t great for retention, though 2/month departing isn’t bad. For some reason people aren’t coming back and getting connected. Evaluating hospitality, facility, spiritual vitality, quality of programming, etc. might reveal ways to improve that retention rate to increase Net Growth

Example 3: [10 visitors/mo x 50% Retention] - [5 leave/mo] = 5 stay/month - 5 leave/month = 0 Net Growth

• Possible Interpretation: May be an urban area or college town with very transitory population and lots of “churn” AND/OR church is great at “first impressions” but lacks depth and growth opportunities. Depending on issues, may need to really increase visitor rate while also working on back door loss

17 | Launch Team Training • New City Covenant Church, Boston MA • East Coast Conference • Sat Feb 23, 2013

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30min | TEAM TIME: Launching Large, Launching Healthy• Contextualize: What might

launching large look like for New City?

• Brainstorm: What might you do to launch large enough and healthy enough to have a missional impact in your community

• Strategize: What specific action steps still need to be done to launch large in your setting? Who will be responsible??

Extended Team Time For the next 75-90 minutes or so, work on one of the following, combine them, or make up your own!

Sketch out the Next 4-6 Monthsone giant sheet for each month

• details will depend on what Stage you’re at now, but likely some combination of Stage 1 and Stage 2

• add details like dates, events, ideas, etc (take pictures to capture)

Normal & Natural PathwaysFor New City what are the normal and natural pathways for…

• Making Disciples that are maturing in Christ

• Evangelizing People so they come to a transforming faith in Jesus

• Reproducing Leaders that effectively lead, serve, and multiply

• Instilling a Stewardship Culture of generosity, sacrifice, & faithfulness. Stewardship Examples:

• placement of offering at end of service, clear explanation connecting with mission and vision

• online giving that’s done well and easy to use

• Offer Financial Peace University course once per year

• Multiplying Churches that are healthy, missional, and reproduce

Exercise: use one giant sheet for each “vital pathway”full doc & full descriptions at: www.bit.ly/normalnaturalpathways

• Put down one idea for each, then more fully develop a couple.

• Which one will be easiest? Which one will be most difficult?

• Before the ‘Grand Opening’ Launch, flesh these out fully and revisit them occasionally

SWOT Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats

• one giant sheet for each area (take pictures at end to capture)

• In what areas are you going strong? what needs work?

• What key resources do you have, what resources do you need?

• Where are your greatest opportunities? greatest threats?

18 | Launch Team Training • New City Covenant Church, Boston MA • East Coast Conference • Sat Feb 23, 2013

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Resource ListWeb Resources:

• www.jasoncondon.com/search/label/churchplanting - this is where Jason posts many of the materials and resources for our East Coast Conference church planting efforts

• www.ChurchPlantingWiki.com - simple resource site compiled by Directors of Church Planting across the Covenant - not pretty, tons of good content!

Related Books: Church Planting

• Viral Churches: Helping Church Planters Become Movement Makers, by Ed Stetzer and Warren Bird (2010)

• Exponential: How You and Your Friends Can Start a Missional Church Movement, by Dave Ferguson and Jon Ferguson (2010)

• The Permanent Revolution: Apostolic Imagination and Practice for the 21st Century Church, Alan Hirsch & Tim Catchim

• Planting Fast-Growing Churches, by Stephen Gray (2007)

Congregational Vitality & Ministry Models• Transformational Church: Creating a New Scorecard for Congregations,

Thom Rainer, Ed Stetzer

• Building a Healthy Multi-Ethnic Church: Mandate, Mark Deymaz

• Hybrid Church and Deliberate Simplicity, Dave Browning

• Cracking Your Church's Culture Code, Samuel Chand

• Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler [notes: bit.ly/crucialconversationsnotes]

• Influencer: The Power to Change Anything [notes: bit.ly/influencernotes]

Missional-Incarnational Ministry• AND: The Gathered and Scattered Church, Hugh Halter & Matt Smay

• The Permanent Revolution: Apostolic Imagination and Practice for the 21st Century Church, Alan Hirsch and Tim Catchim

• On the Verge: A Journey Into the Apostolic Future of the Church, Alan Hirsch and Dave Ferguson

• Creating a Missional Culture, JR Woodward

• Multiplying Missional Leaders by Mike Breen and Jon Tyson

19 | Launch Team Training • New City Covenant Church, Boston MA • East Coast Conference • Sat Feb 23, 2013

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Top Tens!Top Ten Church Planting Maxims10. You will be broken

9. Plant behind the plow. Prayer is the plow.

8. People are “polite” (*cough* lie) - don’t believe them :-)

7. 75 is the enemy

6. You can’t plant from behind a desk (or computer screen!)

5. There’s no magic bullet

4. God is in the vision – the devil is in the details (so don’t ignore the details and derail the vision)

3. Its the relational – not the technical

2. Isolation kills – connection gives life

1. It’s a God thing!

Reflection: Which of these maxims are hardest for you to embrace? Most encouraging?

Top Ten Reasons for Starting New Churches 1. New churches needed because vast majority of Americans don’t attend church

2. New churches are more effective at conversion growth

3. New churches are the only truly effective way to reach the growing ethnic populations in America

4. New churches are needed to stem tide of ideological moral erosion in America

5. New churches have historically been the best method for reaching each emerging new generation

6. New churches give a group of connected churches “market share” and greater influence in their community

7. New churches grow exponentially faster than established churches

8. New churches are a test laboratory for church leadership development

9. New churches are the research & development unit of God’s Kingdom

10. New churches provide excellent on-the-job training for energetic young pastors

Reflection: Which of these reasons resonates most with you?

20 | Launch Team Training • New City Covenant Church, Boston MA • East Coast Conference • Sat Feb 23, 2013

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21 | Launch Team Training • New City Covenant Church, Boston MA • East Coast Conference • Sat Feb 23, 2013

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22 | Launch Team Training • New City Covenant Church, Boston MA • East Coast Conference • Sat Feb 23, 2013