1. Strategic planning: Strategic planning is essential to good stewardship of resources and for responding to the greatest opportunities and deepest needs.  Strategic planning touches upon the following issues:   Discernment of where to plant churches, planning of training and development of the movement; being wise and intentional in the distribution of resources; gathering information; evaluating progress, suggesting changes and improvements. 

• Concerning financial support:  Too much outside support can actually discourage church reproduction; support which enables sustainable church planting is best – it creates self-help, not dependency; lack of dependency creates local “ownership and commitment”.

• A study of church planting in the USA found more money provided from the outside resulted in a lower percentage of churches that became parent churches; the more aggressive and successful reproducing churches actually received less financial assistance.

• What has been the process thus far for guiding church planting efforts in your movement?

• Is there a process for assessing progress? How might it be improved?

 

2. Casting biblical vision:  Mobilizers create spiritual motivation for launching and sustaining a movement. God instills passion, call, and raises up new workers for the harvest.“Vision attracts resources” is one of the best know mottos in church planting.

• How does one cast biblical vision? Ask people to respond in faith and commitment. Root the vision in God’s Word.  Make the spiritual needs and the means of response very clear.   Understand that many pastors and churches will resist church multiplication!  The most respected leaders must share the vision and encourage response for momentum to build. 

• Canada’s C2C Collective encourages workers to put an alarm on their phones for 10:02 each day and to pray Luke 10:2 when the alarm sounds.“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”  United prayer sustains the church planting movement and unleashes the power of God (Ex. 17:10-13).

• Movement catalysts live for a vision greater than themselves or their ministries (Rom 15:20,23). They focus on seeing God work across regions and countries, encouraging the whole church to respond to the needs.   

• A God given vision cannot be fulfilled by one person. God has always prepared an Aaron for a Moses (Exodus 4:1-17) or a Joshua to take over after Moses.

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How well is your movement doing at casting vision for church planting?

What next steps might be taken?

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3. Measuring and reporting results: Measuring and reporting results is culturally sensitive and also defines what success is.  Be careful what is defined as success!  Does it fit with Scripture?  

• Create simple forms or reporting methods and keep records. Ed Stetzer reminds church leaders that 'facts are your friends'. Having clear and accurate information allows evaluation of best methods, helps note problems, and helps others understand how changing behaviors and actions positively will produce results.

• Always give God glory for His work and provision. Give recognition to others involved. Celebrate the results and enjoy the victories you have! This encourages everyone.

• When there are problems, take responsibility as a catalyst and take action to bring about change, using the four types of authority wherever possible (positional authority, spiritual authority, expertise authority, relational authority).

 

Do you measure results and report them?

To whom do you report?

What do you measure and how does this help you?

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4. Build A Church Planting Network and Support Systems:

• Build relationships of trust: Every coaching or catalyzing relationship starts through one of  four types (wheels) of authority:  positional authority; expertise authority; spiritual authority; or relational authority.  Effective coaches/catalysts learn how to use all four wheels in their catalyzing or coaching roles.

• Develop the network and explore broader partnerships: Church planting networks are powerful partnerships built on trust among leaders.  Some key roles in the network might be: Leader/Coordinator, Master Trainer, Communications Coordinator, Treasurer, Prayer Coordinator, Administrator or Secretary, Lead Assessor, Lead Coach.  Look for new organizations or networks to join the church planting network as partners to broaden and deepen the work.  In countries around the world, when church leaders come together and share resources, church planting increases in both quantity and quality.  Ask partners to send news of their meetings, activities, and measured results.  TEAM: Together Everyone Accomplishes More.   Groups in the network can maintain their denominational distinctives and theology and be a part of the network as long as there is broad agreement on theology and ecclesiology.

• Build Systems Together and Improve the Systems Based on Results:  The mobilizer can cast vision, stimulate prayer, and bring leaders together.  These are important and a great start.  Once these are in place, building church planting systems together will lead to increased results.  Systems for Assessing church planters (Who Should Plant?), providing Basic Training (How should planters be prepared?), providing Coaching (What support will they need?), and Developing church planters (How can planters continue to grow and develop?) will make a significant difference. 

 

5. Being a mobilizer is more of an art than a science:

• They ground their ministry in prayer. They cast vision and mobilize people around a gospel movement vision.

• They serve as activators who provide a pathway for emerging leaders toward multiplication ministries.

• They come alongside local leaders with critical “just-in-time” resources that help them take steps forward.

• They create synergies for movement development by creating partnerships, building systems, and casting vision.

• They measure results and act upon the information, improving and growing the way church planting and ministry is done in their context.

 

What parts of the mobilizing role are being done well?

 

What parts need the most attention?

 

What parts of this role can be delegated to others?

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What should be done by you?

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