Church Planting Strategy

In some ways, all church plants are alike. In some ways they are all different. This document is to guide the church planter in preparing a plan of action to pursue in a community that has already been targeted for church planting. It presumes that Community Evaluation has been completed and that a church planting team has been identified. If your are inexperienced in church planting, it is strongly advised that you seek the counsel of an experienced church planter in developing this strategy. 

The written strategy should be viewed as a general framework, not a check list. It should include all facets of anticipated ministry, but it should be flexible enough to change as the church planting teams gets better acquainted with the community. Strategies that do not change with changing environment are doomed to be ineffective. Church planting that is inflexible will probably fail as well.

  1. Introduce yourself in the community
    1. Introduce yourself and your plans to pastors of similar churches in the community
      1. We feel a new church is needed because. . .
      2. This is who we are
      3. We practice church planting by evangelism, not by transfer of membership
    2. Meet neighborhood and business leaders in the community
  2. Prepare Your Team
    1. Where will you and your team members live?
    2. Enlist a group of people to pray specifically for this church plant
    3. Enlist a support team: People who will help with ministries when needs arise (VBS. Music, visitation, etc)
    4. Determine whom to request to serve as the initial leadership team
  3. Penetrate the Community
    1. What initial methods of evangelism will you use?
    2. What other ministries will you use for community penetration?
    3. Who will make up the original core group
      1. Where will you find them?
      2. How will you prepare them for launch?
    4. What advertising, literature, or internet presence will you utilize?
  1. Launch the Church
    1. At what point will you begin public services? Saturday? Sunday A.M.? Sunday P.M.?
    2. What ministries (programs) will you initiate immediately upon launch?
    3. How will you begin and continue leadership development?
      1. Bible Knowledge
      2. Godly Living
      3. Willing Service
    4. How will you begin mentoring for ministry?
  2. Stabilize the Church
    1. Incorporate as a not for profit corporation
    2. Adopt your prepared constitution and implement its leadership structure
    3. Develop financial stability
  3. Release the Church
    1. Establish fellowship with like-minded groups
    2. Teach them to be discerning in matters of separation and cooperation
    3. Teach them how to evaluate the qualifications and “fit” of leaders, teachers, and pastors