Ken Guenther

1. Ken Guenther Church Planting Phases www.send.org

2. Ken Guenther

3. Introduction to church planting phases • Description of the process of planting churches that can reproduce themselves • The model has been developed over a period of years

4. Introduction to church planting phases • SEND’s Six “C’s” in the Philippines • Contacts • Classes • Converts • Congregations • Church • Communication

5. Introduction to church planting phases • Frontiers’ model for church plants in Muslim countries • Developed by Dick Scoggins and James Rockford - www.churchplantingphases.com • A Vision of the Possible by Daniel Sinclair

6. The need for church planting phases • To clarify the goal of church planting • To understand that church planting is a process • To identify the next steps • To maintain the focus on what is most important • To measure progress • To pray more specifically • To appreciate the various gifts on the team • To decide when your job is completed

7. The phase descriptions • Agricultural analogy • Threshold - the place or point of entering or beginning • A intermediate goal • Change of primary focus • Suggested activities • Not all of them • Not only them "So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. “ 1 Corinthians 3:7

8. Phase 1: Seed (Preparing) • Primary focus of church planters: the church planting team • Need to identify the location, team membership and strategy • Example from Paul: Acts 13:1-4, 15:36-16:10

9. Phase 1 ends, Phase 2 begins • when most of the CP team is settled in the community, target groups and strategies are confirmed and the team is ready to focus on evangelistic ministry.

10. Phase 2: Sowing (Evangelizing) • Primary focus of church planters: the unbelievers in the community • Need to spread the seed widely • Example from Paul: Acts 14:1-7, 8-19

11. Phase 2 ends, Phase 3 begins • when members of the team are discipling at least three believers from the intended people group.

12. Phase 3: Seedling (Discipling) • Primary focus of church planters: new believers and their networks • Need to teach believers to mature in Christ • Example from Paul: Acts 14:21-22, 20:20, 27 • Primary focus of new believers: personal spiritual growth

13. Phase 3 ends, Phase 4 begins • once there is a fellowship group of 3 or more new believers of the people group regularly meeting together.

14. Phase 4: Young Plant (Covenanting) • Primary focus of church planters: the congregation, the Body of Christ • Need to develop a unified fellowship of believers • Example from Paul: Acts 16:4-5, 19:9-10 • Expanding focus of discipled believers – salvation of family and friends

15. Phase 4 ends, Phase 5 begins • when the fellowship reaches these criteria (“critical mass”): • GROUP COMMITMENT: The believers see themselves as a church • SIZE: Around 10 or more believers regularly involved • BREADTH: 3 or more married men (heads of households), and 2 or more mature women. • LEADERSHIP: At least 2 key believers who seem to be “elders in the making” • STRENGTH: Baptisms, perseverance, sharing their faith, planning for reproduction.

16. Phase 5: Fruit bearing (Empowering) • Primary focus of church planters: church leaders • Need to train multiple mature, responsible leaders for the church • Example from Paul: Acts 14:23, 20:17-36 • Expanding focus of local church leaders: discipleship of congregation

17. Phase 5 ends, Phase 6 begins • when 2 or more elders are ordained and the church has embraced a Great Commission vision. The church planting team transitions to a background or support role.

18. Phase 6: Reproducing • Primary focus of remaining church planters: believers ready to participate in new church plants • Church planters need to withdraw from leadership in the church • Example from Paul: Acts 16:3, 18:18 • Expanding focus of church: other communities without churches

19. The DNA of reproduction • What can the church planters do at each phase to ensure that at the end, the church that is planted will truly be a reproducing church?

20. Plan for reproduction in Phase 1 • Choose a location that is a natural bridge to other communities that need churches. • Develop a strategy that is reproducible without foreign funds

21. Plan for reproduction in Phase 2 • Think of networks, not just individuals • Ask your new friends to introduce you to their networks • Cultivate relationships with respected people who can open up doors to other networks • Invite new believers into a discipling relationship

22. Plan for reproduction in Phase 3 • Teach the principle of reproduction to new believers from the start • Ask believers to teach their children what they are learning • Encourage new believers to share their faith in their networks

23. Plan for reproduction in Phase 4 • Teach the whole church to have a vision of reproduction • Ask older believers to disciple younger believers • Talk to believers who live far from the church about the possibility of starting another church in their area • Encourage the church to give financial help to evangelistic projects and other needs outside church

24. Plan for reproduction in Phase 5 • Move into the background (refuse to take the lead) to allow local believers to lead • Train leaders not just for preaching, but also for outreach • Teach extensively on the importance of reproducing churches • Encourage believers to pray about and suggest locations for new church plants

25. Plan for reproduction in Phase 6 • Reproduction actually happens • Coach or lead believers sent out by church as they plant new church • Encourage local leaders to continue to teach about reproduction