Ministry Startup Strategies MICHAEL LIIMATTA, CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER, CITY VISION COLLEGE
Jun 29, 2015
Ministry Startup StrategiesMICHAEL LI IMATTA, CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER, CITY VISION COLLEGE
About Michael Liimatta 30+ years in urban ministry Pastor, drug counselor,
treatment center director, AGRM education director.
Founder & Chief Academic Officer of City Vision College
Directly involved in over 20 ministry startups
Start by Studying Nehemiah Building the Kingdom is
spiritual warfare
Expect Opposition – from the community and the Church
Spend a lot of time together in serious prayer.
Primary Questions to Ask: #1 Is this type of ministry really
the best approach for meeting the needs of your particular city or area?
Because it worked somewhere else, it may not be the best solution for your town.
Primary Questions to Ask: #2 Are there people who believe
enough in such a ministry to give continuing spiritual and financial support?
Are there sufficient resources available for the work such as facilities, qualified staff, etc.?
Primary Questions to Ask: #3 Are there other organizations
in the area that are doing similar work?
Would it mean unnecessary competition to them?
Should a cooperative effort be developed instead?
Introducing the Four Failure Factors
Immature or unqualified leadership
Disunity among staff Poor image in the
community Lack of financial resources
and accountability
Issues Related to Leadership
Leaders know God's Word and live a godly lifestyle
Leaders need to delegate. “This is my ministry" attitude doesn’t honor God
Leaders must be teachable and willing to take advice
The Blessing of Accountability Have a board of directors of
spiritually mature people with a variety of professional backgrounds
Expect honesty and know they will be asked to contribute their time, talent and treasure to your shared vision. (job description)
A Word About Volunteers Your board members are your most
important volunteers
All volunteers are listened to, respected, appreciated and doing work that is meaningful to them personally. Get to know them
Don’t be afraid to ask them to donate money to the ministry
Thoughts on Community Image In the beginning, you “borrow” the
reputations of you board and others in leadership roles
Spend time to get a mission statement crystal clear – one that everyone can remember well
Financial & Legal Accountability Get your legal stuff in order.
Register with city, state and federal authorities and report as required.
Your accountant and attorney are real partners
$99 nonprofit version of Quickbooks - TechSoup.org
Where Does the Money Come From?
Avoid the “home run” mentality of fund raising
No mysterious benefactor to give that huge donation that will fund your vision
Those who know you best are those who are most likely to give you money
Go After the “Low Hanging Fruit” Those who have already donated.
Ask board members to give
Talk to your friends and family and those staff members
Then there’s your volunteers
More “Low Hanging Fruit” People who’ve been truly
helped by your work or have a loved one or friend you’ve helped.
Tell your vendors about your needs
How about any individuals that you have visited your facility?
Questions & Comments
Contact Information:
Michael Liimatta
(816) 217-9637
@mliimatta
www.cityvision.edu