Each church plant has its own unique story in regards to its beginning, its church planter, and its process, but there is a general outline for church planting that Church Extension Ministries (CEM) follows to make sure that we’ve prayerfully thought through every aspect to give a Mission Church a supportive start.
Generally, here are the first steps for beginning a new church plant in the Bible Fellowship Church:
Step 1: The Beginning of a Church Plant
- Locate a Target Site: Identify a place to begin a new church plant. It may be a place where a group is already meeting, a particular place an existing church wants to plant a daughter church, or a place where a potential church planter has a passion for.
- Exploration and Identification: The Church Extension Ministries staff does demographic studies on the potential target site along with the church planter if one has already been found. A Bible study or outreach may also be done in the site along with the search for a church planter.
Step 2: Identifying and Preparing the Church Planter
- Introductory Phone Call: Through a 30 minute phone call, the potential church planter can see if Church Extension is a good fit for him. The conversation centers on the potential church planter sharing his passion for church planting, experience in ministry, and doctrinal compatibility with the Articles of Faith of the Bible Fellowship Church. The Bible Fellowship Church is elder rule, holds to believer’s baptism and premillennial eschatology. If the potential church planter and CEM agree, they move on to the next step.
- Preassessment begins with the church planter and his wife reflecting on their strengths, weaknesses, passions, and calls through a self-assessment. The couple will work through the Pre-Assessment Profile workbook. This can be followed by an informal conversation with the Director of CEM to help the potential church planter and his wife reflect on whether or not to continue to pursue church planting.
- Comprehensive Assessment: Once the pre-assessment is complete and the church planter and his wife want to continue, there is a formal assessment with the Director and Assessment Team from the Board of Church Extension. They will use the Church Planter’s Assessment Workbook as a springboard for reflection. This workbook lets the church planter and his wife think though the many practical aspects of church planting and how it may impact his life and his family so he is prepared for this unique ministry. The Comprehensive Assessment will also address any hesitations or concerns the church planter and his wife may have in regards to church planting.
- Credentials: Once assessment is completed satisfactorily, the church planter can apply for ministerial credentials with BFC. The credentialing process does not need to be completed before a church planter begins planting, but the process must begin.
- The Bible Fellowship Church credentialing process begins with an online application. Next is an open book doctrinal test to determine compatibility with the Articles of Faith of the Bible Fellowship Church. At this point, CEM can give a contract to the church planter.
- The next step is an oral exam on the Articles of Faith with the Ministerial Candidate Committee of the Bible Fellowship Church. Once the oral exam is completed, CEM can issue an official call to the church planter.
- Raising Support: Once the open book test is complete, CEM can move forward with the church planter by figuring out the nuts and bolts of financial support. How much money is needed for the church planter’s salary? Is housing needed? The CEM director and the staff will guide the church planter through the support raising process. CEM also covers any support deficit so that the church planter will always get a paycheck at the agreed upon rate.
Step 3: Starting the Mission
Once the target site is identified and the church planter is contracted or called and support levels are agreed upon, the Board of Church Extension Ministries will officially open the Mission Church so that the church planting plan can begin in full force. However, the responsibility of the Mission Church does not fall on the church planter’s shoulders alone. There are several groups that are vital to the health of the church plant and will be formed at the early stages of the church planting process:
- Church Planting Resource Team (CGRT): This group of 12-15 people helps the planter do preliminary studies, investigates target areas, liaises with their respective home churches and keeps others informed of its progress for prayer support and resource needs. This group assists the church planter until the Core Group Launch Team is organized. Members of the group may or may not go on to be members of the Core Group Launch Team.
- Core Group Launch Team (CGLT): This group of laypeople provide leadership for varying aspects of church plant ministry as well as critical mass for when public services begin. Key individuals would be responsible for finances, music, children’s classes, youth group, outreach, prayer team, greeters, evangelism, etc. The individuals on this team may or may not be members of the Church Planting Resource Team.
- Administrative Team (A-Team): This group of Core Group members will be responsible for administrative behind the scenes tasks including website, social media, banking, technology, etc.
- Transitional Leadership Team (TLT) is a group of area Bible Fellowship Church pastors and elders appointed by the CEM Director who meet monthly with the church planter to give feedback and wisdom to the church planter as the Mission Church grows and develops.
These first steps for beginning a new church plant with the Bible Fellowship Church gives the church planter and the Mission Church the foundation it needs to focus on the task at hand –sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with the people living in the target site.
If you are interested in becoming a church planter with Church Extension Ministries of the Bible Fellowship Church, you can schedule a introductory 30 minute phone call with Mentoring Assistant Tim Zuck.
