Paul Dale planted Church by the Bridge in Kirribilli, NSW, in 2005. He spoke at In the Chute Church Planting Conference hosted by The Geneva Push Network at Collaroy, NSW, 08 December 2009. He gave 12 suggestions for building a healthy church plant:
- Build a team, don't do it solo
- Have clarity, not vagueness with what you plan to do
- Work on a sense of belonging in the church, not people who are just consumers
- Be fresh, don't be tired -- keep being relevant to your community
- Empowering leaders, not controlling -- watch for the danger of micro-managing
- Accountability must be in place with someone taking initiative for that to happen
- Remember you are building a kingdom, not an empire
- Keep looking outward, not just inward -- keep missions a priority
- Good communication to your people what you are doing, why you are doing it
- Keep planting, not plateauing -- keeps mobilising your members
- Be prayerful, not proud
- Do it all for Jesus' glory, not for yourself