ARE YOU READY TO LAUNCH YOUR FIRST PUBLIC WORSHIP SERVICE?????? Twenty-one questions for your leadership team, core group, and parent church to ask before launching when you are planning to have 200 in your first service

1. Do you have an ongoing intercessory team praying for the church planter and family? 1. Do you have an ongoing intercessory team praying for the church planter and family? 2. Do you have an established ongoing praying ministry in the core group and a strategy to develop a praying church? 2. Do you have an established ongoing praying ministry in the core group and a strategy to develop a praying church?

3. Do you have a well-established and communicated vision? 3. Do you have a well-established and communicated vision? a. Is there vision casting and communicating to convey a clearly defined vision? a. Is there vision casting and communicating to convey a clearly defined vision? b. Has the core developed a consensus about what that preferred future looks like? b. Has the core developed a consensus about what that preferred future looks like? 4. Do you have a well-established and communicated set of core values?

5. Do you have a clearly defined mission statement? 5. Do you have a clearly defined mission statement? 6. Do you have a trained and equipped leadership team? 6. Do you have a trained and equipped leadership team? a. Leadership Team 1. Pastor 2. Team Leaders 3. Team Leader Apprentice/Interns

7. Do you have specific ministry teams? 7. Do you have specific ministry teams? a. Worship Team a. Worship Team 1. Pastor1. Pastor 2. Worship Leader2. Worship Leader 3. Instrumentalists3. Instrumentalists 4. Ensembles4. Ensembles 5. Praise Team5. Praise Team 6. Drama Teams6. Drama Teams 7. Technical and Media Support7. Technical and Media Support

b. Evangelism Team- Do you have an evangelistic strategy in place to reach targeted group? b. Evangelism Team- Do you have an evangelistic strategy in place to reach targeted group? 1. Have you completed Demographic/Psychographic Studies? 1. Have you completed Demographic/Psychographic Studies? 2. Have you done an Opinion Poll of the target area? 2. Have you done an Opinion Poll of the target area? 3. Have you developed a Prospect list from Pre-Evangelism Events? 3. Have you developed a Prospect list from Pre-Evangelism Events? 4. Do you have a Strategy to follow up on first time guests within 72 hours? 4. Do you have a Strategy to follow up on first time guests within 72 hours?

c. Childrens Team 1. Do you have preschool and child care policies in place?1. Do you have preschool and child care policies in place? 2. Do you have trained personnel?2. Do you have trained personnel? 3. Do you have immaculate preschool facilities?3. Do you have immaculate preschool facilities?

d. Assimilation and Discipleship Team d. Assimilation and Discipleship Team 1. Decision Counselor Ministry1. Decision Counselor Ministry a. Personnel a. Personnel b. Materials b. Materials 2. New Membership Seminar/Ministry a. Personnel b. Materials 3. New Believers Seminar/Ministry 3. New Believers Seminar/Ministry

e. Ministry and Mission Team e. Ministry and Mission Team Pastoral Care Pastoral Care Mission Involvement Mission Involvement Mission Education Mission Education Acts of Kindness Acts of Kindness Greeters Greeters Ushers Ushers f. Bible Study Team Age-Graded Bible Groups Special Interest Group

8. Do you have a growing, maturing, core group that understands its role and contribution? 8. Do you have a growing, maturing, core group that understands its role and contribution? a. Has the core group developed fellowship and unity of purpose? a. Has the core group developed fellowship and unity of purpose? b. Is the core group committed to lose intimacy and identity after launch? b. Is the core group committed to lose intimacy and identity after launch? c. Does the core group have 75 to 100 committed and prepared people? c. Does the core group have 75 to 100 committed and prepared people?

9. Is church planter/founding pastor on field? 9. Is church planter/founding pastor on field? 10. Does church planter have sufficient support of the first two years? 10. Does church planter have sufficient support of the first two years? 11. Does the Church Planter have an assigned mentor? 11. Does the Church Planter have an assigned mentor? 12. Has the Church Planter completed Basic Training? 12. Has the Church Planter completed Basic Training?

13. Does the new congregation have a secured lease or purchase of site with guarantee of meeting place for six months with a minimum capacity of 250? 13. Does the new congregation have a secured lease or purchase of site with guarantee of meeting place for six months with a minimum capacity of 250?

14. Does the congregation have a well- defined relationship with parent/sponsoring church or churches, local association, the Georgia Baptist Convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention? Are there written covenants defining responsibilities? What about other agencies? 14. Does the congregation have a well- defined relationship with parent/sponsoring church or churches, local association, the Georgia Baptist Convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention? Are there written covenants defining responsibilities? What about other agencies? a. Who will supervise the planter? a. Who will supervise the planter? b. Who is principle employer? b. Who is principle employer? c. How will new congregation relate to the parent/sponsoring church or churches? c. How will new congregation relate to the parent/sponsoring church or churches? d. How will the new congregation relate to the association> d. How will the new congregation relate to the association> e. How will the new congregation relate to the state convention? e. How will the new congregation relate to the state convention?

15. Has the Church Planter met all community leaders (political, educational, social etc.) to create awareness of new church and discern community ministry needs and opportunity for cooperation? Have they been formally invited to the first service? 15. Has the Church Planter met all community leaders (political, educational, social etc.) to create awareness of new church and discern community ministry needs and opportunity for cooperation? Have they been formally invited to the first service? 16. Has the congregation planned pre- launch rehearsal services? 16. Has the congregation planned pre- launch rehearsal services?

17. Has the church incorporated? 17. Has the church incorporated? 18. Has the church attained liability insurance? 18. Has the church attained liability insurance? 19. Will the church have adequate start-up funding and budget prior to the launch date? 19. Will the church have adequate start-up funding and budget prior to the launch date? a. Funding for special guests a. Funding for special guests b. Funding for special media b. Funding for special media 1. Direct Mail and follow-up 2. Telephoning 3. Billboard 3. Billboard 4. Newspaper ads 4. Newspaper ads 5. TV and Radio 5. TV and Radio

20. Does the new church have a strong assimilation process to move members to maturity and ministry? 20. Does the new church have a strong assimilation process to move members to maturity and ministry? 21. Do you clearly sense that the time is right and God is leading in this pivotal milestone? You will never have your first public service again. Are you pressured to prematurely start by internal or external forces? Is the momentum right? 21. Do you clearly sense that the time is right and God is leading in this pivotal milestone? You will never have your first public service again. Are you pressured to prematurely start by internal or external forces? Is the momentum right?

Remember the clear consequences of premature birth Remember the clear consequences of premature birth Premature Death Premature Death Slow Growth Slow Growth Limited Growth Limited Growth Lessened Strength Lessened Strength Long Term Disability Long Term Disability Difficulty in reproducing and multiplying Difficulty in reproducing and multiplying