Minutes of the Church Plant Information Evening in Bethany CRC in Fenwick
Minutes of the Church plant information evening in Bethany CRC in Fenwick.
Nov 19 2004
Attendance: About 40 persons representing several congregations.
Mike Collins welcomed all of us and introduced Hilda for opening devotions. Hilda introduced the members of the church plant team that were in attendance and our guests, Adrian van Giessen and Ben Vandezande.
Hilda read Matt. 9:36-38 Lord of the Harvest. Jesus had compassion on people who were like sheep with out a shepherd. Hilda opened in prayer.
Mike shared with the group where the church plant came from and the process we have followed in the last year and a half.
We allowed time for questions and we shared a little bit about what is a prayer walk…and what did we notice?
Adrian shared his presentation about his planting experience. He self identifies as a missionary, and that there is a lot of people in Canada who do not know Christ.
God’s grace is the single most powerful force to be shared with the unchurched.
To reach the unchurched - 200:1 in an established church…10:1 in a church plant.
Woodside church in Minneapolis has become a ‘church planting centre’. Kitchener CRC went there, got fired up, and began the plans and work for the “The Journey”
An inclusive, joyful, intentionally multi-racial spiritual community for 1000’s of K/W residents, building multiple bridges that lead everyday people to Jesus side; inviting them to join us on the journey of together discovering the joy of living life with the same generous, grace-filled abandon that our friend Jesus extends to each one of us.
A journey for the new Christians as well as a journey for the launch team. We are not spiritual consumers. You may like contemporary worship…but the church is about its mission and what ever it takes to accomplish its mission…it may be contemporary or traditional worship.They are flexible with the method but being strict on sharing God’s grace with people.Adrian has leased a 2000 square foot office and has used a public High School cafetorium for the preview services. Multi-media presentations.
What would happen if a church fell in love with its community, the same way that God loves his church. Luke 6:38. Give and it will be given to you. What’s the measure you use?
Adrian then led us through the timeline of church planting and growth.
Conception Pre-natal Birth Maturing phase Reproduction
People matter…faces count. Find the faces in the crowd. Name them…walk along side them.
Ben shared his passion for the church plant. 18 month process of percolation.
3 phases. 1) Why? 2) Yeah…But? 3) Can I join?
Conception is fun (so says Ben)we need to re-discover the sheer joy of birthing…and parenting.Like a parent…not like an aunt to nieces and nephews.
Ben: We need a heart for folks that are not in the kingdom. Power of prayer...and vision.
Parent(ing)--Church Plant Team doesn’t plant a church. Classis doesn’t plant churches –
Churches plant churches - when a group is formed
Proposal – potential including vision, target area and partners
Partners: New Church –ParentChurch – Classis – Home Missions
Parent Church - commit to 3 things. Prayer, People with resources. Point person
Classis: commits $10-20,000
Home Missions: $220,000 over 4-5 yrs.
Point person – called by the ParentChurch. Has gone through the CRC assessment center
Preview
Basic concepts about a new/emerging church:
Holistic
Disciple(ling)
Hard at the center….soft at the edges. Hang onto principles.
Ben shared his personal vision and some of his history with HM.
Healthy churches are reproducing churches.
2 diff shaped churches will attract diff kind of people
Mike thanked our hosts in Fenwick
Pastor Walt closed in prayer
Questions: (Asked through-out the evening)
What is a prayer walk?
How many people should we have onside to begin? Ben…enough!
How local does a person need to live to the church plant? A- anywhere B- home is one thing..work is another…it need not include everyone close by.
Is it better for us to refocus our current church or to begin a new church? Great question…answer = YES
Humbly submitted: Frank Engelage