Note: This blog entry is part of a series on church planting. If you would like to see all entries that have been posted so far in this series, you can bring them up by doing a search for “church planting series” on this blog. You can also purchase the full 27 page Church Planter Coaching Guide, with multiple coaching questions for each subpoint, in the Logan Leadership shop.
- How will non-believers or new believers be connected into missional communities?
- Describe the expected ministry flow of these communities.
- In a series of bullet points, write out the immediate action steps you’ll take to start and multiply missional communities.
Articulate your philosophy of group life
For healthy growth your church needs a holistic missional community system in place. This system will look different depending on the type of church you start, but people need some form of interaction with a smaller group of people. To articulate a philosophy, start by defining your core values. Examples of core values might include prayer, community, growth, decentralization, creativity, evangelism, and multiplication.
Determine the ministry flow
Like the human body, there are whole systems that need to be considered for a healthy, functional church. A general ministry flowchart helps you clarify your model of ministry and visualize how people will enter into and become a part of your church. The ministry flowchart is not designed to show the leadership structure of the church or the flow of oversight and authority. Rather, it can help you see how each facet of your church links together into an integrated ministry. Determine the pathways to guide people through assimilation.
Birth a prototype missional community
A church is birthed when the first group emerges with people who have been invited through contact with an initial leadership team. Like a baby, this group has a lot of growing and changing to do. What it does might not exactly look like what an adult church will look like, but it will share the same basic DNA. When the prototype missional community is functioning properly, you can replicate this to multiply your church.
Replicate missional communities organically
Before replicating the prototype missional community, ensure that the proper DNA is in place. You’ll want to decide to what extent you want to see certain essentials functioning in other communities. Through apprenticing, coaching and in-service training, you’ll develop a group of leaders who can go on to replicate other missional communities. It is crucial to take your group through a clear, reproducible process.
Resource leaders appropriately
Provide support and encouragement. A good coach guides people in the direction of effective resources that will be the most useful for reaching their goals. Some avenues for resourcing include coaching, leadership community, training events, and additional resources.