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High-Yield
Church Planting Begins with Radical Shifts
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"You've
planted one or two churches. Now what
would it take to plant 10? And after you
plant 10 churches, what would it take
to plant 40?"
Five years ago, Bob Buford, founder of
Leadership Network, posed these questions
to a group of pastors gathered for discussions
on new approaches to church planting.
Momentary silence was followed by broad
smiles and animated dialog that continued
throughout the day as the group dreamed
big and brainstormed ideas. This conversation
resulted in a five-year pilot project
that included partnering with and supporting
local churches with proven track records
in church planting. |
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Churches
participating in the Burning Bush
Project came to identify shifts
in context, finances and priorities
as necessary to experience a multiplication
effect. |
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The
Burning Bush Project, as the pilot came to be
called, would be about finding ways to enhance
and accelerate successful planting initiatives,
and also about moving to the next level by creating
church multiplication movements here in the United
States. By design, each participating leadership
team had a unique approach and methodology to
planting. Each leader's vision for planting would
be embedded into a strategic plan complete with
action steps, budgets, timelines, measurable outcomes
and accountability.
The selected local church leaders were already
planting at least four or more new congregations
each year. How could they significantly increase
the number of new plants launched each year without
compromising the viability and long-term health
of the plants?
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The
challenge to move beyond church planting
to church multiplication would require
making a radical shift in heart, mind
and bottom lines. Most of the churches
represented began with one new plant at
a time but soon realized the pace was
too slow. They needed to make the following
significant philosophical and practical
shifts in their approach and methodology.
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Shift
#1-Context
For these leaders, God's call to plant new churches
overwhelmed old tendencies to focus on growing
their own churches and gaining notoriety among
their peers. For example, Bob Roberts, senior
pastor of Northwood Church in Keller, Texas says,
"Our church died a long time ago to being
the biggest church in the area. We want to help
church our area and beyond. We aren't starting
churches for Keller or Denver or St. Louis. We
are starting churches for the world. That's our
context."
Shift #2-Finances
Significant resources were also shifted from the
planting church to the new plants. Church planting
comes at a high price both personally for the
leader and for the body as they invest in Kingdom
expansion.
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Leadership
Connection Merges with Group
Leadership Connection, which began as Leadership
Network's Leadership Training Network (LTN) and
has helped numerous churches mobilize and equip
leaders for ministry throughout its history, is
now merging with Group Publishing. |
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Did
You Know?
The largest 10% of congregations contain about
half of all churchgoers. - from Mark Chaves' Congregations
in America (Harvard, 2004) |
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The
Church of Irresistible Influence
Irresistible believers and bridges of influence
to the community are the central topics at Fellowship
Bible Church in Little Rock, Arkansas, May 10-12. |
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Churches
Starting Churches, July 15-17
The Wooddale Center, a ministry of Wooddale Church
in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, is hosting a weekend
workshop in July with a second opportunity October
7-9. |
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