MENTORING MEN FOR CHURCH PLANTING

Training men for church planting is a very exciting yet serious and exhaustive matter. With over 50% of all church plants dying before their second anniversary, more attention and effort needs to be given to the development of future church planters. 

I. Realize churches reproduce churches
• The authority lies in the local church to reproduce more churches
• Remember, churches reproduce after themselves and their “kind”
• The pastor and church must know and trust the church planter
• The pastor has the authority to say when the church planter is ready

II. Prepare the reproducing church
• Instruct the church on the Biblical philosophy and mandate to reproduce themselves
• Establish needy areas around the region and world that need churches
• Support and join the efforts of other church plants
• Set a church planting budget
• Set aside funds through general or missions giving
• Set aside funds to support the church planter heavily (possibly up to half of his needed support)
• Set the terms of support. Suggestion would be a five-year term    with a 20% drop each year
• Establish a timeline. Possibly a two to three year turn around on each church planter
• Realize that some interns will take longer and some shorter
• Realize that some will not finish the process

III. Plan for the church planter intern
• Some church planters will come from within and some without the local ministry 
• Some church planters will come straight out of college and others will have ministry experience
• The #2 reason why churches fail is putting an inexperienced novice in the leadership role of a pastor
• It’s important to have a written agreement with the church planter. Have the idea that this is a process and that the Lord may lead differently as time progresses
• Do not promise to the church planter a definite plan until he has been tried and proven 
• Do not promise or give false hope to the church congregation until the church planter has been tried and proven

IV. Establish a timeline and detailed plan for preparing the church planter
• First year – Proving period. Try to “get out of him” all that you can. Try his work ethic, self-motivation, people skills, organization skills, willingness to humbly follow instructions, etc… 
• Evaluate his progress every 3 months
• Watch for issues with his family, finances, ect that may cause concern
• Second year (first six months) – Preparing Period – Try to “put into him” all you can. Now that he has been tried and proven, take time to mentor and invest in him, prepare him to pastor 
• Have him watch the 25 hour “First Century Church Planting Course”, listen to every podcast, and read every article BCPM has 
• Have him “shadow” the pastor, following him on visits, meetings, and other critical training opportunities
• Have him learn from the pastor on study habits, tools, books. Train him on organizing events, and help him understand how to lead people
• Have him conduct music, preach, and teach in a variety of settings and opportunities
• Second year (second six months) and third year– Promoting Period 
• Promote the church planter to the church with a timeline and goal of planting a new church
• Deputation calling begins 
• Promote him in fellowships and pastor’s meetings
• Have the church planter continue to work part-time with the church during his deputation
• BCPM will prepare a detailed timeline to launch the church