Planting Space

In our recent survey of new churches currently in years 2-5, we found that the healthiest new churches had launch teams over 40 people.  Click here to see the stats.  In pt. 1 of this post, I talked about what a launch team is and boundaries to set for it.  At Passion 4 Planting we work hard at staying up to date with church planting and have a nearly exhaustive list of tasks for planting a church.  Its packaged nicely into our Converge software and online launch plan tool.  If you are interested, we’ll be giving it away for free starting at the Exponential Conference.  Though building a launch team is the most important things you do in starting a church, it hard to develop a task list around it.  People are not tasks.  If you approach them as such, your launch team will not thrive.  You need to create opportunities to connect with people in an authentic way in which you reach out to them with the love of Jesus rather than look at them as a number or how they can help you.  Here are a few ideas:

1.  Get out of the office/house.

You won’t meet to many people sitting in your office at the computer.  Get out!  If you need a place to work, go find a coffee shop with wi-fi and camp out daily.  You’ll get to know the employees and regulars and through those relationships will have a chance to share your story.

2.  Network, Network, and Network some more

Make an exhaustive list of who you want to network with and intentionally spend time meeting with them.  Meet with principals, business owners, other church leaders, politicians, land developers, real estate agents, etc.  If you need help identifying who to meet with, we’ve created a Community Targeting Tool, to do the job for you.  If you need an excuse to talk to people, start planning an outreach event and ask for businesses to partner with you.

3.  Do Things You Enjoy in Public (ex. sit in a jacuzzi)

My wife and I met lots of people sitting at our neighborhood pool and jacuzzi.  What else are you going to do besides talk (That’s rhetorical, no comments please).  I’ve known lots of pastors that join gyms as ways to meet new people.  My wife and I met a launch team couple and long time friend by walking our dog in the neighborhood.  If you don’t have dogs or kids, get one or the other.  Its the easiest way to break the ice and you will automatically have lots of things in common.  Take your kids to the park and hang out with the other parents who have nothing to do while their kids play.

4. Plan outreach events

Plan several outreach events to connect with and meet new people.  Whenever you do, be sure to issue a press release.  Partner with other events that are going on in the community for maximum impact.

5.  Plan a Matthew Dinner

When you connect with someone its natural to get together.  If they have captured the vision of the new church,  ask them to host a cookout at their house and invite all of their friends (including you).  This will rapidly expand your connections.  It is also how the church most naturally grows.  Most people come because they are invited.  Build this into the DNA of the launch team early.  At dinner time, ask the host to introduce you as the pastor of a new church and have them ask you to pray.  No need for lectures about the church.  If people, are interested they will ask.  As you meet new people, invite them to your house as well.  Be strategic and invite people that you think will naturally connect with each other.  I hosted a dinner group for friends and then asked if they would like to do it regularly and have discussion about spirituality afterward.  Each person wrote down one question they would like to ask God.  Each week we talked about a different question.  This wasn’t bible study time.  Everyone contributed their own thoughts.  But I always shared Scripture and God’s point of view.  The discussions were amazing.

6.  Host informational cookouts and dinners

Plan some launch team events where those you have connected with can bring their friends.  These are crowd gathering events.  If you plan to vision cast, make sure that people know that ahead of time.  Remember the time you were hoodwinked into an Amway presentation.  No one wants that experience.

5.  Share your story and don’t be afraid to ask

Don’t be shy about what God has called you to do.  Most non-Christians will find it fascinating that you are starting a church and ask questions.  I found that being a pastor is not the leprosy disease we make it out to be.  People are interested in spirituality and your story is the most powerful tool you have.  Look for opportunities to share it and ask them to share their stories of spirituality as well.  Finally, don’t be afraid to ask.  When you have an event our when you need volunteers to serve at the church, be sure to ask.  Many won’t serve out of love for God YET, but they will serve because you’ve taken the time to be their friend.

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