Brian Vaatstra shares the Kingston experience of Church Planting, outlining the five stages leading up to the establishment of a core group and the steps to launching a new church.

• Posted initially March 9, 2012
• in www.crcsouthtas.org.au
• by Brian Vaatstra

---

Stage 1 – Clear vision & gaining commitment & cultivating values

• Put the case for church planting – why do it, what values, how people can be involved
• Take a congregational decision to be proactive in church planting
• Identify a leader responsible for church planting (a man full of faith, confident in the gospel, and bold for Christ)
• Pray

Stage 2 – Identify an area & establish a core group

• Our approach is to hive-off small groups of eager people to a church plant
• Encourage all growth groups to consider being a core group
• See where people live that could be part of church plant
• Invite them and anyone else interested to a meeting to discuss the possibility of a CP
• Survey the group to identify those really interested & get their commitment

Stage 3 – Focus & unite the core group around the gospel

• To grow together in Christ through studying his word
• To grow in understanding of the gospel and what it means to be mission-minded
• Teach the group members how to share their faith
• Pray together for the work & the Lord to lead it
• The book to study is The Gospel-Centred Church by Steve Timmis & Tim Chester

Stage 4 – Encourage the core group to be active in evangelism

• Invite non-Christian friends and neighbours over for social evenings
• Do this together so you meet each others’ non-Christian friends
• Invite them to do one-to-one or small group evangelism courses

Stage 5 – As the Spirit leads and it becomes obvious that we need to step out in faith, start planning the practical steps as follows:

1. Appoint leaders

• The Leader will appoint fellow leaders from the core group who will prepare plans for the group to process and report to Session & the planting church regarding the progress of the work.

2. Name
Ie., Blackmans Bay Christian Church
3. Vision
Ie., “Bringing the love of Christ to the Blackmans Bay community”
4. Mission
ie WIN, BUILD, SEND

• Winning people to a living faith in Christ
• Building a committed community of believers for Christ
• Sending well-equipped disciples of Christ to serve him with the gospel

5. Values (by God’s Grace)

• To be a community that seeks God’s glory above all else.
• To be a community that calls upon God to pour out His Spirit to strengthen his people for godly living and bold witness.
• To be a community that equips every person to make disciples who will make disciples
• To be a community that reaches out to Blackmans Bay with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
• To be a community that is welcoming and takes every opportunity to practice hospitality towards others.

6. Ministry Approach

• To implement the above goals the ministry of the Blackmans Bay Christian Church will be conducted at three levels as follows:
  • One to one ministry and discipling
  • Ministry through small groups
  • Ministry through public meetings

7. Areas of organisation and involvement ie

• Each of these leaders will take responsibility for one of the major area below, and will work with a team of co-workers.
• One to one ministry and discipleship team
  • Welcoming/newcomers/hospitality (incl Sunday am welcoming)
  • Organising one to one discipleship
  • Discipleship training
  • One to one evangelism training
  • Club 5 and MTS apprentices

• Small Groups ministry team
  • Organisation & Resources
  • Training Growth Group leaders
  • Evangelism including Introducing God courses (whole church & Ggs)
  • Ministry of Mercy
  • Childrens and Youth mid-week meetings
  • Prayer ministry

• Public meetings ministry team
  • Administration and facilities (equip/cleaning/set-up/coffee/lunch)
  • Meeting format & Bible focus
  • Music / singing / song leading
  • Bookstall and flyers ministry
  • Evangelistic events
  • Children’s ministries (crèche/Sunday School/in meeting)

8. Find a suitable venue
9. Set a time and date to commence
10. The myriad of practical issues

• Facilities
  • Secure contract
  • Lectern
  • Musical instruments
  • Pew Bibles
  • Tea/coffee/cups/spoons
  • Chairs/tables/dividers
  • Weekly setup plan/rosters
  • Store room for our gear

• Commissioning of Core Group
• Advertising Meetings
  • Personal invitations
  • Phone call follow-up
  • Letterbox drop
  • Signage for outside of hall
  • Advert in Newspapers

• Meeting hospitality
  • Ushers/Greeters
  • Coffee organisation roster
  • Set-up/Tidy-up roster

• Literature
  • Logo
  • Literature about the church
  • Giving to the work of the Lord

• Program
  • Program Rosters

• (Preaching, MC, Bible Reading, prayer)
  • Weekly Running Sheets
  • Children’s Talks
  • Music

• Children’s program
  • Program activities plan
  • Roster

• Discipleship
  • Record of who coming
  • New Visitors follow up
  • Care group roster