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To purchase this Guide in print (individually or in bulk) go to HopeBooks or Adventist Book Centre Online.
Why use this Guide?

This Guide provides a comprehensive plan for local church or regional leaders to equip church planting teams to reach new areas or people groups. With the New Testament book of Acts as their manual, this Guide can be used to equip teams to plant a variety of types of local churches as well as mission hub churches that will intentionally reach their city or regions. All essentials are covered, including reasons for planting, theological frames, the preparation needed, the importance of relational streams; the essential ethne, oikos and mission-hub models of planting; centred-set faith and church, New Testament case-studies, ethne and oikos mapping; as well as a multiplication plan and district church planting project plan.

Who is this Guide for?

Local church leaders and ministers, mission catalysts, and state or regional mission agency and denominational leaders committed to equipping volunteer or paid church planting teams. Experience has demonstrated that when teams of 4 or more are equipped, the new church plant will be most effective and sustainable.

How to use this Guide?

This equipping can be delivered in a weekend retreat, over several weekends, or one evening a week over several weeks. It is ideal for either in-person or Zoom formats. The workshop host or facilitator could be a local minister/pastor, a key local leader, or a regional denominational or ministry/missions leader seeking to foster a movement of church planting. All invited to participate should come in their teams of 4 or more—or if the training is dome by Zoom, these teams will work together in “breakout rooms.” Together they will prepare their Church Planting Project Plan.

What resources do you need?

The host/facilitator needs to download Conversation Guide 2 (FREE) and videos (FREE) from here.

Each participant will need:

(1) A printed Conversation Guide 2: Planting Churches—in which to write notes and plans.

(2) A supply of Discovery Bible Reading bookmarks and Discover Jesus starter Bibles (of Mark, John and Acts).

(3) A copy of If You Are Thirsty … You Can Be Spirit-filled (Signs 2018).

Participants will use their own Bibles, and most will also want to read Following the Spirit (Signs 2018)—so it is a good plan for facilitators to have a supply available.

All printed guides, bookmarks and books are available from HopeBooks and the Adventist Book Centre Online.

Session 1: The Great Commission – end vision
Video 1 – Welcome. The Great Commission – end-vision
Video 2 — Why plant churches?
Video 3 – A theological frame: planting flows from God’s heart

Session 2: Essential frames
Video 1 – Jesus’ method: movement-builder
Video 2 – Jesus’ method: disciple-maker
Video 3 – Jesus’ harvest parable & teaching
Video 4 – Jesus’ teaching – disciple-making

Session 3: Jesus’ idea of church
Video 1 – What did Jesus say about church?
Video 2 – What is the purpose of church?
Video 3 – Centred-set faith and church

Session 4: First church plants
Video 1 – The life, vitality and dynamic growth
Video 2 – Pentecost and presence
Video 3 – Coping with opposition

Session 5: Antioch—a planting case-study
Video 1 – A multicultural church
Video 2 – A sending church—ethne and oikos mapping

Session 6: Paul’s church planting
Video 1 – Following relational streams (ethne)
Video 2 – Planting in households (oikos)
Video 3 – Planting hub churches
Video 4 – Each plant a hub

Session 7: Planning for planting a church (1)
Video 1 – Prepare – 1. Team
Video 2 – Prepare – 2. Places
Video 3 – Prepare – 3. Prayer & 4. Connecting
Video 4 – Biblical purpose, vision, mission and values

Session 8: Planning for planting a church (2)
Video 1 – Sow – eating-healing-sharing
Video 2 – Cultivate – leaders and structures
Video 3 – Beliefs that will define your church
Video 4 – Your discipleship path

Session 9: From groups to plants to churches
Video 1 – Gather – church plant health indicators
Video 2 – Complete churches
Video 3 – Criteria to be an organised church

Session 10: A multiplication plan
Video 1 – Multiply – Jesus’ and Paul’s models
Video 2 – An environment for multiplication
Video 3 – Equipping all disciples as disciple-makers
Video 4 – Cultivate Holy Spirit presence

Session 11: Multiplying sustainable churches
Video 1 – Sustainability
Video 2 – Functional structures – what is needed?
Video 3 – Oikos mapping and prayer

Session 12: Church planting Project Plan
Video 1 – Church planting project plan
Video 2 – Evaluation and feedback
Video 3 – District church formation plan