1. Church Planting Phases www.send.org

2. 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

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

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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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.

9.  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 Phase 2: Sowing (Evangelizing)

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

11. 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

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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

16. 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.

17. 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

18. Group Work  Design activities for achieving your assigned phase of church planting, write on post it boards (10 min, then report)

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.

26. Q & A Time  With Ken and others for standup panel time