Partners Principles for Resourcing the Mission Conference by David Putnam, April Notes and comments by David Alexander

Church planters are often very independent. However, God intended for us to be interdependent. Vision intoxication results in vision sharing. Share the vision to enlist partnerships.

Three Types of Partners Denominational or organization partnerships –Southern Baptists are the leaders in church planting worldwide. –Church planter needs to establish a strong partnership with the denomination. The new church should value this partnership. Church partnerships –Networking with other churches and pastors is invaluable. Individual partnerships –The church planter needs to develop and maintain individual contacts.

Partners Provide the Following Resources Accountability Encouragement Mentoring and Coaching –Successful church planters recognize that they do not know it all. –They intentionally seek someone to help them to stay focused and to continue learning. Leadership Resources –Most new churches who get core leaders out of a partner church will see those leaders move on within 2 years. Identity –Who you are connected with gives you identity and credibility. Prayer Support Financial Resources –For a church plant, question any sponsorship that won’t support financially in some way. –There is nothing unspiritual about asking for financial support. All these resources are necessary – financial resources are essential.

What Do I Need? Start-up Budget –There are one-time expenses that a new church needs to plan for. Ie. Sound equip, children’s ministry equipment, marketing the community, data equipment, etc. –Some people will give you a one time gift to help defray these expenses. Operation Budget –Ideal – develop core group that will provide for operational budget. This is not always possible. –Question – where will your money come from to provide for your operational expenses? Salary Support –Never start a church or move to the field until you have secured commitments for at least 2 years of salary support.

How Much Will It Cost? It will cost more than you think. –It always takes more time than you think. –It always takes more money than you think. –Jesus said “it’s foolish to start a project without counting the cost.” It depends on where you plant. –Sometimes people will give to plant a church in some high profile places more than others. It depends on your level of debt. –Eliminate as much debt as possible before planting the church. It depends on who you reach. –Unchurched people don’t give as much as average church attendees. The degree to which you are seeker targeted, you will be believer hostile. –A seeker vision will often drive traditional believers away.

Who Will Pay for It? The vision you write you must underwrite. –The church planter is responsible for the church plant. He can blame no one but himself for the plant failure. He has to develop and maintain relational networks. People give to people. –People give to people they know. Big vision attracts big resources. Money attracts money. You have not because you ask not. –Church planters cannot afford to be too proud to ask. Resources are easier to raise prior to moving to the field. –Its not wise to step out on the field on just “promises”. Resources are in the harvest. –The church planter partners with his target community.

Side Note: Bivocationalism If the end result will be a church with a bivocational pastor, start bivocational.

Partners Principles for Resourcing the Mission Conference by David Putnam, April Notes and comments by David Alexander