The engine for a true church planting movement is parent churches. If your church is thinking about multiplying itself through a church plant or a satellite campus, this book is an invaluable tool to lower your fears, increase your determination and benefit from its practical advice. If parenting a church is a new idea for you, this book will ignite the spark and fan it into flames. Topics include Paralyzing Fear, Values Disconnect, Lack of Trust and Accountability, Planter Selection, Coaching Collisions, Feast or Famine Funding, and After-birth Neglect.
Ben Ingebretson is a church multiplication consultant with the Reformed Church in America where he shares a vision to plant 400 churches by 2013. Since 2003 he has personally walked alongside the start up of over 45 new church plants as a best practice coach and resource provider.
Tom Nebel is the director of Church Multiplication for Converge Worldwide. He has participated in the planting of more than 50 churches in Wisconsin and hundreds more across the USA with a success rate of over 90%.
For anyone thinking about starting either a new worship service as we are 1st Hillsville UMC or a new church from an established church, this is a great resource.
Reality check:
“There is no change without discomfort and resistance. Change creates pushback, and the change that involves church planting is no different. Early on, leaders who propose to plant are likely to experience the “20-50-30″ principle. That is, 20 percent will love the new vision, 50 percent will be neutral, and 30 percent will resist you. Don’t make the mistake of expecting to have the complete support of every member as you move forward. It is very unlikely that everyone will get ion board for the critical issues of your ministry. Some folks simply remain resisters!”
Some of the highlights from the book.
- There is never a good time to start a new worship service.
- The congregation must cover the new work in prayer, regardless of their being for or against.
- Prayerwalk the neighborhoods near the new work.
- So many of the dynamics that impact biological parenting also impact spiritual parenting.
- Coaching is important.
- Planting is a spiritual battle and the planter should be focused on the people far from Christ in the community.
- The landmine of doing nothing is more perilous than the landmine of moving ahead.
- Pray and Fast
This is an outstanding resource and I wish every church member would take the time to read it. I know that will not happen but I am praying that many people will. Remember, the cost of doing nothing is Eternal.
Ronnie