2. Apostolic Covering
I. The Responsibility of the Sending Church in relation to the Church Planter
A. The sending church should help to prepare the candidate for the church plant.
The sending church does this by…

3. By providing educational opportunities.
2. By providing training experiences.
3. By providing counseling with various leaders in the church.
4. By assisting the candidates in discovering their ministry strengths and weaknesses and developing a plan for them to deal with them.

4. B. The sending church should provide support for the initial thrust.
Congregational prayer support.
2. Initial financial assistance.
3. Analysis of the planting plan.
4. Eldership assistance while local elders are emerging.

5. The sending church will provide spiritual covering as the work develops.
The sending church will do this in the following ways…

6. 1. Through sponsoring membership in MFI.
2. Through ongoing counsel.
3. Through troubleshooting efforts.
4. Through follow-up ministries touching the new work.
5. Through continued prayer.

7. II. The Responsibility of the Church Planter in relation to the Sending Church
The Church Planter responds to the sending church by…
A. Fully cooperating with any training programs or opportunities provided by the covering church.

8. B. Maintaining lines of counsel with the designated elders on all major decisions in the new work.
C. Providing a monthly statement on the collection and dispersal of finances.
D. Maintaining a “goodwill” attitude in the new work toward the apostolic covering.

9. This is done by…
Communicating regularly with the sending church.
Taking all suggestions seriously.
Making sure the people in the congregation are fully aware of the sending church.
Gladly receiving ministries from the sending church.