Developing a Regional Church Multiplication Strategy

1. Developing a Regional Church Multiplication Strategy Presenter: Dr. Dan Morgan Associate Professor of Missions Director, Nehemiah Project at SWBTS Fort Worth, TX

2. Session 1 The Impact of Regional Strategies- Two Case Studies

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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]

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. Session 2 A Systematic Approach to Church Multiplication

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. Session 3 The Strategic Planning Team – Key to success

26. Principles for Success • 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

27. 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

28. Initiating the SPT • ADOM or staff asks churches to consider being a partner. Commitment adjusted to fit the church. • Minton has SPT assess planter, Gaitliff has team of assessors do it. • SPT gathers to review strategic plan of planter, commit funds, and to sign a covenant.

29. 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

30. 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

31. Session 4 From addition to multiplication

32. 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

33. 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

34. 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

35. Push the System into the Local Church See Article

36. 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