Overview of the Process
2. Measure Aptitude
Learning what strengths, character and areas that need progress
Being a lead church planter is not easy and it requires tenacity, character and a certain measure of skills. Some of the characteristics and skills come naturally through the way God wired the planter and some are shaped though experience. It is vital to the success of every planter to know before they embark on the planting journey where they excel and and where they need to be strengthened. We utilize two tools to help our planters get life giving feedback and next steps for personal development in church planting.
The first tool is our Self-Assessment. It is a simple and free tool that will ask you 85 questions and them gives the results in four aptitudes of church planting.
For every church planter that we work with we take take them to an on-site assessment to evaluate a potential planter and their spouse’s calling, health, gifts, passions, strengths and weaknesses. The on-site assessment is an approximate 3 day process and requires some travel. Following assessment, you will not only know whether or not you’re called to church planting, but you’ll also understand the next steps you should take to pursue the vision God has given you.
1. Identify Calling
Hearing from God on who you are and the good works He has planned for you.
Before a church planter knows they are a church planter they all sense a call from God deep in their spirit. Some have not been able to put words to what they know they are called to because they have not seen it done or went through a discerning process. One of the thing we created is the Dream Big Workshop. This is designed to introduce the heart beat of church planting, help people reimagine what church can be and dream about what a church plant would look like if they were called to to start a new church community. If you are interested in attending or hosting a Dream Big Workshop you can contact us.
If you suspect God might be inviting you into something more in ministry like church planting then a great first step to use the 10 Question Self-Assessment. It works best to invite some trusted leaders into a process of discerning together where God is leading you. Pray through the self-assessment and then you can start that conversation between you and trusted leaders.
3. Credentialing and Affiliation
Becoming a commissioned church planter with the support of RAM Network and Open Bible
Every R.A.M. Network church planter goes through the process of credentialing with Open Bible Churches. Many of our church planters didn't have a background with Open Bible Churches before they found us. We love to work with any like-minded person that has a calling to plant churches so we streamlined our credentialing process to be relational, meaningful and user-friendly.
The first step in credentialing is to fill out the "get acquainted" form. This lets us get to know you a bit and from there we can initiate the full credentialing process.
4. Training, Coaching & Cohorts
Learning from trainers, personal coaches and fellow church planters
We fully believe that no church planter should go alone. We look at church planting as a team effort. We do our best to provide as much training and coaching support around our church planters as possible.
Our training is a 2 day workshop style event that we hold several times a year. The training is intended to equip you with all the basics of church planting.
Cohorts are groups of church planting peers that meet regularly to review training, encourage one another, and to discuss best practices. Each cohort becomes like family to one another as they celebrate victories, help each other solve ministry problems and pray for one another.
Coaching is one on one mentorship between the planter and one of our ministry leaders. Our coaches have been through the fires of ministry and have years of ministry experience to offer church planters.
5. Support Building
Building your financial support and prayer base that will carry the church to the self sufficiency
Building a support base is a process and should not be overlooked. The stronger the support base is in the beginning stages of a church plant the more stable the church is in the first several years as a church. Through our coaching and training we help our church planters build their own base of support. A base of support should have financial supporters, prayer supporters, and launch team members.
R.A.M. Network gives financial assistance to our church planters though our Pay-It_Forward program. Each of our approved church planters will have access to match funds that build insentive for our church planters to build financial supporters.
6. Team Development
Gathering and developing key team members for the new church plant
Teams are critical to the birth of any new church. Team development is the second part of support building. Teams start and grow long before the initial birth of a public church service. Building the right team and leading that team in a unified vision for evangelism, discipleship and church planting take time and skill.
Through training, cohorts and coaching we help our planters recruit and lead their initial launch teams. We offer Church Planting 101 workshops that can be helpful to church planters and their teams to get established.
7. Gathering & Launch
Beginning to meet for public worship, prayer and preaching.
After support building is completed a church plant will begin planning public services. Depending on the model and style of the church a facility needs to be secured and any physical materials needed will need to be sourced and obtained.
The months leading up to a church launch should be filled with outreach, investing in teams, a load of planning. Having smaller gatherings ahead of the initial public gathering allows people to join the church and become involved even before the public services are offered. This helps build momentum.
8. Momentum Building
Growing the church into its next steps of functioning at full capacity
Once a church is established, it will need to develop in strength and impact. Community, ministries, systems, and teams will need to be created, matured and maintained. This does not happen by chance but is intentionally planned and implemented.
We work with churches to help establish healthy church characteristics in 8 key areas. Through the Natural Church Development our churches grow through health. We want all of our churches to be empowered to grow and thrive.
9. Multiplication
Raising up leaders and planting new churches from the planted church
Wheather we like it or not all churches are on a lifespan. Every year new churches are born and old churches die. Understanding that every church has a lifespan it should be the goal of every church to multiple.
We walk churches through the multiplication process from the very first step to the last. For many leaders, multiplication has not been a consideration of a natural healthy church.
Let's Work Together
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