I love coaching church planters. I’ve been doing it for many years now, and I’ve never ceased to be amazed at the endless creativity of planters adapting to their ministry contexts and the changing cultural landscapes. I’ve also noticed– even in the midst of so much variety– certain similar stages along the way that most planters face. For instance, every church planter must begin with prayer and vision. Every church planter must mobilize a leadership team of some kind. Every church planter must decide how, when and where to worship and make disciples.
For that reason, I’ve put together The Church Planting Coaching Guide: helping you plan your new church plant. This guide is designed to walk you through the twelve basic stages of the church planting process much as a coach might. The guide poses questions you’ll need to think through at each stage along the way to help you plan well and consider the basic issues you’ll face regardless of the approach or model you’re using.
The areas covered are listed below in roughly chronological order, although– as any ministry leader knows– things seldom take the clear, linear route that we expect. For that reason, you’ll likely need to go back and forth between areas, revisiting some as needed.
- Birth vision out of prayer
- Mobilize an initial leadership team
- Confirm spiritual and relational health
- Understand your target group
- Serve and reach unbelievers
- Train and multiply disciples
- Multiply missional communities
- Determine action plans for startup
- Celebrate and worship together
- Lead and manage as you grow
- Embrace a kingdom focus
- Continue multiplication
For instance, understanding your target group includes sections on surveying the harvest, discovering fertile soil, discerning cultural dynamics, and exploring your oikos connections. Coaching questions help you dig deeper into each of these areas. You can download the 27-page Church Planting Coaching Guide for $10 from the Logan Leadership online store.