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Vision & Strategy

Introduction | Vision & Strategy | Self-Assessment | Planter Development
Planting Opportunities | Current Plants

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In an era when most mainline denominations are in decline, and there is approximately 60% non-churched rate among Americans, it is the DNA of both the EFCA and the Eastern District to be a growing, healthy, reproducing, church planting movement. A case can be made that new churches evangelize better than established churches. That is why we encourage existing churches to be revitalized through intentionally birthing new congregations and partnering with new planters desiring to start a church. As well, we work with planters to encourage them to become established, find healthy partnerships, build their core group and launch their plant.

The Vision

The vision of the Eastern District Church Planting Initiative is to actively cooperate with God in His church planting movement through the prayerful, strategic and diligent birthing of many new churches who will then reproduce other new churches.

The Plan

The primary District church planting focus will be (1) to help build a relationship between churches desiring to plant and quality church planters ready to plant and (2) when available to provide these plants with financial help through the Eastern District EFCA Foundation Fund.

(1) Build a relationship between churches and church planters.

Definitions:

Mother Church: a church planting another church alone.

Partner Church: a church joining with other churches to plant.

Partner Church Network: a group of churches who join together to plant.

Mother Churches: The Eastern District will work with mother churches to help them develop their church planting strategy.

Partner Churches: These churches will be recruited by a vision for either a geographic region, or a people group, or perhaps by a highly qualified planter ready to plant a church.

Churches desiring to become church planting churches must have the wholehearted approval of their Pastor and Elder board. They will be asked to commit to serving in a partnership with the plant for two years. Each partner church will appoint individuals to serve on a Partner Church Team. The team will be the contact between their church and the church plant, and with other interested churches in the Partner Church Network. The Partner Church Team does not make decisions for the plant — decisions such as location of the plant, style of worship, structure, etc. While a mother church will make a dynamic financial commitment to see the daughter church mature, the role of other partner churches is to encourage the plant and to see that their congregation does the following:

• Pray faithfully and passionately for the plant.
• Provide hands-on help as the plant makes its needs for help known.
• Allow the plant to "speak into" their church through pulpit exchanges, worship team exchanges, participation in joint ministry, etc.
• Consider supporting the plant financially — the hope is that between District, money raised by the planter and the support of all the churches in the Partner Church Network will meet the early needs of a plant — until it is established and can stand on its own.

Partner Church Network:

The Partner Church Teams from the respective churches forming the Partner Church Network should meet periodically for prayer, sharing and rejoicing over what God is doing. The Partner Church Network will not have regular meetings where the Network functions as some type of "board." They will not make decisions for the plant — decisions such as location of the plant, style of worship, structure, etc. Also, the District will normally select the planter for the Partner Church Network.

Church Planters:

The following applies to both mother churches and to Partner Church Networks. The Manager of the Eastern District Church Planting Initiative will recruit a church planter if necessary. He will guide a potential planter through assessment, require that they attend boot camp (or the equivalent) and will identify a coach to come alongside the planter for the first couple of years. These ABC's of church planting (Assessment, Boot Camp and Coaching) will be required of every planter. In addition, each church planter and church plant will require approval by the District Church Development Team.

(2) Distribute Eastern District EFCA Foundation Funds:

When possible (when the Eastern District EFCA Foundation is fully funded) we will provide $60,000 to help plants get a firm footing as they begin. When approved to be a foundation plant, a plant will receive $40,000 the first year and $20,000 the second year.

The requirements to receive funds are that the plant has:

• A church planter approved by the District Church Development Team (the planter will have been assessed, attended or will attend boot camp or the equivalent, and will agree to work with a coach for two years).
• A plan approved by the District Church Development Team.
• A group of 20 adults who are committed to being a church.
• A target launch date.
• A mother church or one partner church in place.

An additional requirement is that the church plant must prepare quarterly ministry and financial reports for two years which are sent to the Manager of the Church Planting Initiative.