Strategic Plan Implementation: CONTINUE to FOCUS on CHURCH PLANTING

Strategic Plan Implementation: CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON CHURCH PLANTING

Denny Wayman, Ruth Loomer, Kelly Soiffer, Rich Sander

LBOA assignment:

Rate how well each box is going

Determine what would need to be done under each box

What is your top priority? Second priority?

1. We would rate our effectiveness in church planting at 40%:

As we look at the last 30 years we have planted four congregations. The first was a plant in Carpinteria that had a pastor appointed by the conference who led the congregation out of the Free Methodist denomination and then failed.

The second was Pura Vida that started on the Mesa and grew to a healthy East Side congregation meeting at the library and then the Boys and Girls Club growing to about 60 people. But when Dennis and Kyle Leon moved to Costa Rica to plant churches, within two years the congregation dissipated.

The third is Light and Life Goleta that was a Conference Plant and is now pastored by David Goss. The congregation is over six years old and is self-sustaining but plateaued. If growth does not occur soon it may not survive.

The fourth is Westside Initiative and is about 7 months old. This plant is still in the formative stages and has about 20 of our young adults under the leadership of Rich Sander, Ruth Loomer and Kelly Soifer. This plant has promise.

2. To continue church planting we identify four actions that need to be done:

a. Cultivate a church culture of empowered lay leaders who are encouraged and challenged to expand the ministry of the FMCSB into new areas of ministry and the city. A primary focus of such expansion is an expression of our Wesleyan dynamic to make ministry to the poor a priority.

b. Vetted solid leaders called by God to long-term commitment to the congregation they are planting. These leaders can be either an individual, a couple or a team. Whether found in one leader or a team of leaders there are three abilities that need to be present: entrepreneurial, pastoral and resourceful.

c. Creating a variety of sources to provide the resources for the expansion of the church into new areas.

d. Interns experiencing planting with mentors and coaches equipping them for planting churches in all the various forms.

3. The priority actions recommended to the LBOA:

Year 1: Cultivating a church culture of empowered leaders: Identify ministry opportunities not led by pastors of the FMCSB but by lay leaders who are given the support and coaching needed to reach into new areas. Because of the very capable congregation we have, there are many persons capable of beginning new ministries and churches, we want to affirm, encourage and equip people to do so.

Year 1 and 2: Resource these leaders and provide the necessary support to start new ministries and churches. Partner with other organizations to relieve poverty and bring hope into the city in every way.

Year 2 and 3: Create an internship/mentorship reproductive expectation that reinforces this expansion of the churches ministries and church plants to create years of expansion.