Reading: The "Look of the New Church"

The objective of this lesson is to describe some of the essential characteristics of a healthy church, the goal of church planting. First we present five vital areas of the healthy church and then its five key functions, with special attention to the kind of leadership needed for a healthy church.

START WITH THE END IN MIND

• Story of the archer: some people shoot the arrow and wherever it falls they paint a circle around it. In church planting, we must begin with the end in mind.

• Architect

• Painter

In church planting it is important to start having the end in mind.

• What are we shooting for?

• Toward what end are we working?

• What does the church we desire to establish look like?

• What are the key ingredients necessary to have a healthy and growing church?

• What follows is a missional and organizational model that can prove helpful when starting new churches?

Architect and Painter: 

In his book The Seven Characteristics of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey addresses the importance of beginning a project with the end in mind. Before the painter puts paint on the canvas he already has in his imagination the whole panorama that he wants to share with others. He starts with the end in mind. A building, likewise, starts with the plan the architect has designed. He starts with the end in mind. In church planting it’s essential to have an idea of what the goal is. What are we aiming at? Toward what end are we working? What is the congregation that we are going to plant supposed to look like? What are the vital ingredients of a growing, healthy church? 

SIGNS OF A HEALTHY CHURCH 

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.” Ephesians 2:19-21 

What follows is an organizational and missional plan that helps church planters begin with the end in mind. This illustration summarizes the five vital elements of a healthy congregation and the five functions of a healthy church all in a particular context. 

A healthy church makes a difference in its community by serving others in the name of Jesus Christ. It calls people to new life in Christ and helps them to live in Him. Each church has its own distinct personality and unique combination of gifts in order to become the growing family of God. Healthy churches are empowered by the Holy Spirit to respond to the needs of the community for the Glory of God.

FIVE KEY ELEMENTS

1. CLEAR VISION

Definition | Having vision means looking toward the future to see what God wants to do through you to achieve his redeeming purposes.

“The church sees clearly what God wants it to be and do, so that the Body of Christ will serve to establish his new creation in the community.”

Reflect | What does God want the church you are planting to be and do? With your church plant’s leadership, write a vision statement that summarizes what God is calling you to be and do as a church. Use this to stay focused in your ministry.

2. EMPOWERING LEADERSHIP

Definition | Aubrey Malphurs defines leadership in the following way: “Christian leaders are people committed to God (character), who know where they’re going (vision) and who have followers (influence).” Having chosen a person to serve as a church planter, we need to consider certain steps in developing his or her leadership.

“The church is served by people who understand its vision, can communicate it clearly to the congregation, and can organize the Body to make it a reality.”

Introduction | How Paul developed workers. 2 Timothy 2:2

For Paul, developing the leadership of each local church was crucial for its permanence. This is what he did:

1. He gave the leaders space. He put them in charge of the work.

2. He was committed to preparing them.

3. He trusted them.

Two Dangers |

1. Messiah Syndrome

This problem is the antithesis of what Paul did. While the apostle’s style is the motor for producing leaders, the Messiah Syndrome puts a halt to leadership multiplication. Its symptoms are clear and easy to identify. They are as follows:

a. Thinking I am indispensible.

Example: Moses (Exodus 18:13-27)

b. Believing the needs of others always have priority over my needs.

How do we confront this syndrome?

Step 1 | ACKNOWLEDGE the problem

Step 2 | ASSUME the attitude of a learner

Step 3 | SEEK God’s work in us

2. The “Do it All” Planter

The “Train in the valley” story illustrates the risks that exist when the planter takes ownership of all the leadership areas and exercises direct control over everything that happens in the new church plant.

Four characteristics of Biblical leadership |

Dr. David Ramírez identifies four key New Testament images:

a. Leader as apostle Romans 1:1-5. Sent to people and places where the Gospel hasn’t been introduced before.

b. Leader as servant Mark 10: 45; Philippians 1:1. Serving with humility and love.

c. Leader as visionary Ephesians 1:17a. Seeing what God wants to do in a community.

d. Leader as empowerer and equipper Ephesians 4:11-12. Preparing others for ministry.

Train in a Valley: 

There was a church planter who didn’t have even one afternoon free because he was doing everything himself in the church and wouldn’t train or delegate tasks to others. Worn out, he asked for and was given Monday afternoons off. He would climb to the top of a mountain and sit on a chair there. The members of the church had seen him there and were curious about what he was doing. He answered that watching the train go by that afternoon each week made him feel better because it was something that moved without him having to push it. The pastor hadn’t trained the members to help with the work and he ended up paying the consequences. 

3. MOBILIZED BODY

“Church members work together using their gifts responsibly in the congregation and in the community.” I Peter 4:10-11

Five Practical Steps |

1. Prepare your leadership to mobilize the entire CONGREGATION.

2. Teach about SPIRITUAL GIFTS and the stewardship of TALENTS.

3. Identify the gifts and the areas of INTEREST of each believer in the congregation.

4. Put each member to work in a MINISTRY or area of SERVICE.

5. Keep an eye on how the different AREAS of church life are going & make the necessary adjustments.

“Use your ministry to build people, not people to build your ministry.” - Jacqueline Heasley

4. STEWARDSHIP OF RESOURCES

Definition | The Church challenges its members to be good stewards of their possessions, their resources and their goods (time, talent and treasure); and it uses these material and financial gifts to accomplish the work of the kingdom of God in the church and in its community.

“Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” Proverbs 3:9-10

How do I finance the church plant?

When one feels called by God to plant a new congregation, one of the questions that arises is, “How will we fund the birth and development of a new church?” There are two important concepts regarding this idea: Philippians 4:6-7; 11-13, 19

1. Trust in God. Do we believe God? 

2. Contentment. God’s promise of divine provision covers all of our needs, not our wants or personal tastes. 

Ways to finance a new church plant 

1. Support from the mother church 

2. Support from the denomination, mission or organization 

3. A special support group 

4. Support from investors, friends and relatives 

5. Support from the sale of properties 

6. Support from a second salary in the household 

7. Bi-vocational ministry 

“The calendar and the checkbook are theological documents. They say who we are and who we worship.” -Brian Kluth 

“Man goes through three conversions: the head, the heart and the pocket. Unfortunately they do not all happen at the same time!” -Martin Luther 

Reflect | How will the church plant you’re working on be funded? How will you teach people about tithing? 

5. CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TEXT AND THE CONTEXT 

Definition | A healthy church takes into account its context (geographic location, social and economic factors, cultures, etc.). While the message of the good news in Jesus Christ does not change, the methods for sharing it do. 

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 

II Timothy 3:16-17