New Church Development Team Training
November 2-4, 2009
San Clemente Presbyterian Church, San Clemente, CA
What will your new church grow into?
Will your new church be around 10 years from now?
Will your new church make an impact for the gospel?
The answers to these questions can be found by examining the end purpose of your discipleship training. The “Can I Get a Witness?” New Church Development Team Training Conference will focus on discipleship that is intent on:
REACHING those outside the church community.
SOWING the gospel and seeing communities of believers grow.
TEACHING the church to be a witness in both word and deed to the world.
REPLICATING churches through the process of church planting.
LEARNING from our sisters and brothers in majority-world churches.
We are encouraging the leadership team of your new church to come and learn what God is doing in the world and wants to do in your church.
- Location: San Clemente Presbyterian Church, San Clemente, CA
- Cost: $200/per team. (Includes meals and lodging)
- Register: Register and pay online through the San Clemente Presbyterian Church website: www.scpres.org
Registration deadline is September 1, 2009
Registration Questions: Kelly King (kelly@scpres.org)
Conference Questions:Craig Williams (craigswilliams@mac.com)
Click here to download a flier (.pdf file)
NCD Training for Presbytery Teams
September 21-24, 2009
Riverside Presbyterian Church, Sterling, VA
Discern the core values and plans for ministry, outreach and leadership for starting a church today. The “New Church Development Training for Presbytery Teams” event at Riverside Presbyterian Church will focus on the third task of Starting New Churches: A Process of Discernment– Developing a Mission Plan.
Who Should Attend?
Presbytery and Church Teams working to start a new church. We strongly encourage that the entire team attend this event.
Teams who have at least 3 people will receive the added benefit of working with a coach on your projects during all of the break-out sessions.
What Will We Learn?
This period of training and discernment will not present “the only way” to start new church but will rather explore the many possibilities for starting new churches for the people God has placed on your hearts. Teams will go on area site visits and will hear from presenters with a wide variety of experiences and contexts.
Location: Riverside Presbyterian Church, Sterling, VA
Cost:
Double Occupancy: $100/person
Single Occupancy: $250/person
- Includes meals & lodging
- Lodging is for Monday-Wednesday night
Registration: You may register online by going to: www.riversidechurch.com. The online registration will accept payments via credit card (Visa, MasterCard) or electronic check
** Registration Deadline is August 15, 2009 **
For more information, contact:
- Brian Clark, Pastor, Riverside Church, (703) 444-3528 or brian@riversidechurch.com
- Barb Haebler at Riverside Church: (703) 444-3528 or office@riversidechurch.com
- Philip Lotspeich, Coordinator, Church Growth, 1-888-728-7228, ext. 5266 or philip.lotspeich@pcusa.org
Click here to download a flier/event schedule.
New Church Development Pastor Discernment
October 15-17, 2009
Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community, Pittsburgh, PA
Is God Calling You to New Church Development?
Experience three days of prayer, discernment, and conversation with NCD coaches as you contemplate if God is calling you to New Church Development ministry. There will also be the option of staying an extra day to visit and worship with several NCD’s in the Pittsburgh area.
Space is limited to 25 participants. Participants will be selected based on references and their essay.
If the participant is selected to attend the discernment event, all meals, lodging, and transportation (up to $250) will be covered by the Office of Church Growth of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Participants will be reimbursed at the discernment event.
How do I Apply?
Submit the following to the Office of Church Growth:
- Brief essay on “Why I Would Like to Attend this Discernment Event”
- Please include your contact information in the email.
Email all materials to Sherry Britton (sherry.britton@pcusa.org) or Meredith Kemp-Pappan (meredith.kemp-pappan@pcusa.org)
Deadline for application is September 1, 2009.
Questions?
Contact Philip Lotspeich (1-888-728-7228, ext. 5088), Sherry Britton (ext. 5247) or Meredith Kemp-Pappan (ext. 5088)
To download a flier, click here
Apostle 180 is a web-site development tool that integrates Web 2.0 technology in its interface. They are particulary interested in new church developments and other congregations that may have limited financial resources.
For more information, click here.
To contact them via email, click here.
Church Planting Resources is another one of the numerous websites with ideas and networking for those involved in church planting. It isn’t a Presbyterian resource, so some of their information does not apply to our polity and church structure, but has some good reads nonetheless.
www.churchplantingresources.com
Starting May 4th, Bruce Reyes-Chow, Moderator of the PCUSA, and Carol Howard Merritt, pastor and author of the book, Tribal Church, will be hosting a weekly internet radio show that will discuss the Church, culture, politics, and everything in between.
According to Bruce Reyes-Chow, “through our diverse church experiences and a deep common yearning to find the bridges between tradition and innovation, Carol and I will attempt to provide a place where we can discover the challenges and celebrations that God may have in store for us and the world. We hope you’ll find the time to join us.”
I [Meredith] am encouraging anyone involved with Congregational Transformation, or those particularly interested in issues surrounding the changing church and culture, to take the time to “tune in” to these conversations.
Click here for a more detailed description about “The God Complex Radio Show” from Bruce’s blog.
Click here to download the flyer.
The Office of Research Services of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) provides a wide variety of services including articles and reports, demographics information, statistics, program evaluations and Ten-Year Trends, all free to PCUSA congregations.
Some of their available services include:
- Free 10-year Trend Reports show what’s been happening in congregations
- Free demographics package:
- Congregational Surveys–The U.S. Congregational Life Survey helps congregations identify their strengths, learn more about their worshipers, and make decisions about change.
- Coming out of the U.S. Congregational Life Survey, we have resources to help congregations examine their location (including a study/leader guide written by Trey Hammond):
- Resources on evangelism and church growth, particularly:
- A free booklet with easy-to-do research techniques for congregations:
Other Recommended Resources:
- The Association of Religion Data Archives- Enter your zip code to receive information about congregational membership in all major denominations by county or state.
- ARDA also has an excellent free demographic package:
Currently, much of this website is still under construction, but it’s interesting to learn about church planting in the Seattle area.
http://www.seattlechurchplanting.com/
April, 2009
Where are we going with Transformation? This is a question I have been receiving a lot lately. With the majority of our churches already in decline, this current financial crisis has thrown them into even deeper problems. Many have speculated that the Presbyterian Church (USA) has been getting out of the church transformation business for the last few years. With all of the reorganization and budget cutting that has happened over the last decade, it’s easy to understand how these feelings arise. Like many areas, the traditional church development areas have experienced significant cuts along with almost all other areas of the General Assembly Council. We certainly aren’t the only ones to feel the crunch. We’re in this together. So, at first glance, it may look as if we have ceased doing transformation (and new church plants) with the same energy and commitment as we have in years past. We have not.
Since coming here in February 2008, I have sought to re-energize our transformation ministry and give it new vision and direction. This is not an overnight process and has not been an easy shift. Having said that, we cannot afford to fail in helping our existing churches become what God wants and needs them to be. It is true that we need to begin starting many new congregations. It’s not true, however, that this should be done at the expense of our existing congregations. The transformation of the Presbyterian Church (USA) will hinge on its ability of its current congregations to transform. A new church movement in our denomination will only be successful if current congregations transform and begin planting new faith communities around the country. It’s not an “either/or” proposition (either church transformation or new churches), it’s a “both/and” proposition. We must transform our churches and start new ones. They must go together. The Presbyterian Church must one again understand itself as “sent” by God to do God’s mission in the world. (more…)
Evangelism Connections is an ecumenical website that explores all things evangelism-oriented. This is a great resource for finding and sharing ideas about mission, hospitality, evangelism, and all other related issues.
(from the website)
” Evangelism Connections is an ecumenical partnership whose aim is to help people and churches engage in effective evangelism. We want this to be a place of information, support for your work and insight into what is working (best practices).
This site is designed for anyone, clergy or lay, interested in evangelism and looking for resources that will help them understand more fully what the Bible requires of us. We hope to provide you with information that will assist you in sharing the grace of God and the salvation of Jesus Christ with others and encourage you as individuals and as churches to awaken to the many opportunities you encounter each day to be an evangelist.”
www.evangelismconnections.org
Many new church developments have their beginnings as a “house church” in which an intentional community gathers in an individual’s house for worship, bible study, and community meals.
If you are interested in starting your own house church, or want to learn more about house churches, here is a good “primer.”
Rev. Marcia Clark Myers, Director of Vocation for the PC(USA), recently gave a presentation on the challenges facing leaders in the PC(USA) that has generated a lot of Twitter traffic and internet “buzz.” We here at PresbyGrow encourage all of you watch this presentation which is simultaneously fascinating, sobering, and hopeful.
(from the PCUSA website:)
“Take an informative and revealing look at the challenge of developing Presbyterian leaders for today and tomorrow. View the comprehensive presentation the Rev. Marcia Clark Myers gave to the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly (COGA) March 24. (To view this file, you must have the free Macromedias Flash Player installed on your computer system.)”
We are pleased to announce that our resource for new church development, Starting New Churches: A Discernment Process, has been revised and updated. Among the most prominent changes are the additions of appendices at the end of the booklet and the deletion of the DVD that accompanied version 1.0.
You can access the new version by clicking on the “Starting New Churches” icon or by clicking here.
The United Church of Christ is currently undergoing a monumental church planting movement. One of their resources, “A Guidebook for Planting New Congregations in the United Church of Christ,” is very similar the “Starting New Churches” document recently published by the Office of Church Growth of the PCUSA. If you are looking to start a new church, or are interested in church planting resources, I recommend downloading this booklet.
Note that some procedural and structural requirements in the UCC may not be applicable to PCUSA congregations. “Translate” and or/skim over as necessary.
Click here to go to “Guidebook for Planting New Churches in the UCC”
If you are a fan of the the Ooze, then you will probably like the e-magazine, Next Wave. Next Wave features articles which focus on culture, the emerging church, church planting and post-modernism. You can also find links to books and other resources.
Click here to visit the website.
If you’re looking for podcasts and videos surrounding church growth and new church developmnet, then we suggest searching the archives at the Leadership Network. All downloads are free, though you do have to register with the website.
Click here to jump to the website. Once you are there, use the dialog boxes at the top of the page to search/browse podcasts, videos, etc.
The Exponential 2009, the National New Church Conference, sponsored by the Church Planting Network is taking place from April 20-23. 2009, in Orlando, FL. Click here for more information. While this is not an “official” event sponsored by the PC(USA), we are encouraging people to attend if they are interested.
Check out these events sponsored by various Presbyteries, churches, and other entities. If you would like to have your event listed, email us and let us know.
Small Church Toolbox II: More Resources & Tools for a Healthy Church
- March 5-7, 2009
- Featured Speaker Rev. Jeff Gill who will speak on “Unbinding the Gospel”
- Sponsored by: Arkansas Presbytery
- Click here for more information
New Ways of Being Church: Conversations on Renewal and Transformation in Mainline Congregations
New Wilmington Mission Conference
- July 18-25, 2009
- Westminster College, New Wilmingon, PA
- Featured Speakers: Kang-Yup Na, James Edwards, Joan Gray, BJ Woodworth.
- http://NWMCmission.org for more information.
(from their website)
“SeedStories – adventures in church planting was created by church planters for church planters. The site provides stories and articles and interaction on anything and everything to do with church planting and the issues surrounding those adventures. So sign up and join in the discussion.”
http://www.seedstories.com
David Boumgarden, one of our New Church Development coaches, has graciously allowed us to post his book and supplemental resource, Weaving the Torn Fabric of Life: The Call of a Missional Church, on Presbygrow. If you would like more information on the additional resources, please email David at david@riverglen.org. He is also offering bound copies of the resouces and CD’s of the curriculum for a nominal fee (to cover binding costs). Please contact him if you are interested.
Click on the links to download the .pdf file(s).
Part One: Book
Part Two: Resource Guide
(from the website)
“Glocalnet is a network of churches worldwide, clustered together regionally or in cities. These clusters pool their resources to produce T-Life disciples, multiply churches, transform local communities and impact the world.”
www.glocal.net
Emergent Village is one of the many websites involved in the Emerging Church Conversation.
(from their website)
“Emergent Village is a growing, generative friendship among missional Christians seeking to love our world in the Spirit of Jesus Christ.”
www.emergentvillage.org
One of the significant issues in the failure of new church development centers on the selection of the Organizing Pastor. This is a critical decision that those tasked with hiring the Organizing Pastor often don’t know what skills and talents this specialized role should have and often end up calling a person who is not a capable church planter. This is a common misstep but a critical one.
So, a few years ago the PCUSA, along with some of our ecumenical partners, we began working with the Gallup organization to develop a simple but effective online tool to help determine if a person being considered for new church development work has the necessary gifts and skills to be an effective church planter.
The tool was launched last year and by our measure seems to be a very effective tool. The Office of Church Growth wants to make sure that you have access to this very useful tool. If you are on a Presbytery or church team that will be looking for an Organizing Pastor or are a Pastor who thinks he/she might be a church planter, this tool is a great way to begin your search.
The cost is $50 per use and is a very cost effective way to evaluate those Pastors you might want to interview.
We suggest that you use this tool BEFORE setting up any interview or face to face conversation and that you use this toll will all the applicants you are considering interviewing in order to have the capacity to evaluate them based on a common criteria.
For those who will be using this tool, we will be scheduling some training on how to interpret the results.
To start using this, please email Sherry Britton or you can contact her if you have any questions.
A Unique Opportunity for Service, Discernment, and Learning the Art of Ministry
“The Broad Street Ministry Seminarian Immersion Program offers an uncommon opportunity for vocational discernment and formation for ministies, a challenge to step outside of yourself and into a faith community in Philadelphia, and a taste of the possibilities for the future of God’s people.”
For more information about this program and for information on the application process, go to:
www.broadstreetministry.org/about/seminarian_immersion.php
Presbymergent is the online community for those who live in both the Presbyterian (PCUSA) and Emergent/emerging church worlds and want to try and find a balance between the two.
We are pastors, lay people, seminarians, theologians, youth directors and people who generally care about both the Presbyterian Church (USA) and Emergent and the emergent conversation.
Feel free to join and post articles, questions and thoughts to the community. Grab the RSS feed and stay updated with information about presbymergent news. Post, discuss, share and support those who are working in and thinking about ministry in the margins.
www.presbymergent.org
One of the challenges to us is to shift from a business model of doing ministry to having a more discernment oriented approach to planning and designing ministries. Follow this link to an article offered by the Alban Institute on “Planning as Holy Conversation”.
May we learn to discern.
Jim Collins, author of the book, Good to Great, did an interivew with the Leadership Journal. It’s a very interesting read.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2006/002/7.48.html
The Good to Great Pastor
An interview with Jim Collins.
Jim Collins’s book Good to Great has been a favorite among church leaders since it appeared in 2001. Six years of research resulted in a well-crafted and captivating account of what enables some companies to go from good to great and what prevents others from doing so. The popularity of the book, coupled with his ability to craft clear explanations for complex issues, has helped Collins become the dean of corporate advisers. (more…)
Check out this series of podcasts/netcasts from Allelon!
Who is Allelon?
“Allelon is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization located in Eagle Idaho. We are a multi-generational network of missional church leaders, schools and parachurch organizations which envisions, inspires, engages, resources, trains and educates leaders for the church and its mission in our culture. Said simply, together we are a movement of missional leaders.” (from their website).
Loading ...