Church Planter's Franchise Book

Question 1 - First Steps

2009-07-23T10:36:00.005-04:00

When, how, and why did planning begin? How many people were involved? How was the launch team formed?

Not a walk-away group from the Episcopal Church; however, pulled people who were leaving Episcopal churches in the area (1)
At a mid-point in life where re-evaluating and rethinking how do ministry, shift toward disciple-making and evangelizing (1)
12 people met once a week who were interested in cell group model and began leadership training for future small group leaders; split into 2 groups from here; approximately 1 year after small group meetings official launch team formed (president, treasurer, secretary, and rector) (1)
Connected with John Schuler and went through his church planting program, he served as mentor (1)
Identified area of US where AMiA and CANA minimal presence, lack of Anglican alternatives near Easter edge of Lake Michigan (2)
Wanted to create a church with organ accompaniment to hymnsà music school in Interlaken and retired individuals in area who appreciated traditional hymns (2)
Started with a small prayer group of 5 people and networked with local pastors (2)
Started a weekly bible study of 16 people (3)
Wanted to start a church in an area where few Anglican options, target group was middle aged families with children (3)
Created a list of criteria for the church- name, goal, location, target audience (3)
Both a leadership team (financial, legal, etc) and launch team (setup, ministry, altar guild, small groups, prayer) (3)
Individual pastor with the vision, left large church and wanted to start a church in another location (4)
Met with 15 other people in the area to help get church stated, connected through college friend (4)
4 people on the executive committee and 9-15 people on the leadership council (included the 4), the group met monthly (4)
Feb 1996-1998 met in small groups every other week, worship once a month with a guest priest, outreach events a couple times a year to get name recognition (5)
Was a youth pastor, heart for kids and unbelievers, heavy Young Life involvement, support from ECUSA and NAMS (6)
Read Bob Logan’s How to Plant a Church and had several trainings with John Schuler (6)
Shared vision with 100 people and 24 (12 couples) signed on (6)
Used that core group to launch small groups for a year before trying official worship service (6)
Was an assistant at an ECUSA church of 300 or so, 5 families (20 people) had left because of the issues in ECUSA surrounding Gene Robinson (7)
Group incubated in International Anglican, about 10 mi commute for people, the group was able to attend worship but could ear mark their tithes for the plant development and used Sunday nights to meet and hammer out vision (7)
Used Saddleback materials initially, recently used Dennis Blevins as ministry coach (7)
Steve Sjogren books are a continual resource (7)
On staff at a conservative and evangelical church in Houston, one small group complained to bishop about politics and 4 clergy were removed (8)
From Jan 2001 to Sept 2004, meeting in 3-4 small groups, Sunday night worship at a Lutheran chapel (8)
Refer to the book Simple Church and Steve Sjogren books (specifically Conspiracy of Kindness) often (8)
Very Acts 2 driven, mission was a Christ-centered community (8)
Used alpha course materials to help grow critical mass (8)
Started with one small group in 1985, but increased in number of people and groups in 1986; house church, very lay lead and driven (9)
Worked with Young Life to meet kids and families, increased core mass that way (9)

Question 2 - Staffing

2009-07-23T10:34:00.003-04:00

Who did you hire first? What was the progression of ministry/staff hiring? Who determined the roles and positions to fill? How many staff current vs. size of congregation? What is the current leadership structure?

Priest had the vision and held part-time jobs and did work for other churches as the church plant was developed; 1st hire was college aged individual to help with music on Sunday; priest came on as full-time staff in Oct. 2008 (1)
Music is played through a computer and only requires an amplification system; thus, no need for music personnel. Next hire would be a youth pastor (2)
Leadership team created a search committee to look for a godly man and good teacher to lead the church- Rector was hired first (3)
After the rector was hired brought on hourly administrative staff (bulletins, member database, church newsletter); one year later brought on another pastor to help with processes of setup, membership, scheduling ministries, website, and launch team
Hired part-time accountant who was paid hourly and worked 2-3 hours per week; now an accountant comes twice a week (3)
Hired part-time help for music after brought on second pastor, later hired someone to take over full-time (3)
After music personnel was hired, brought on a youth pastor (3)
Hire people that complement each other well- leader/visionary and relationship based person (3)
Hired full-time administrative help first to help with operations (where worship, pay bills, etc), followed by part-time music director, then part-time secretary (4)
Hire competent administrator as one of the first hires (5)
Had a bookkeeper from day one (6)
After the launch, a part time children’s program leader and rotating worship leaders (6)
Currently, 3 full time positions: rector, assistant rector, student minister; part time: children, youth, accounting, admin assistant, worship (6)
After move into own space, first hire was worship leader for 6 hours a week (7)
With 110 +/-, have half time admin, 15 hours music director, half time worship leader, 4 hour nursery director (7)
Had a volunteer who did the books/legal for two years, very important (7)
First hire was worship leader; Currently, FT rector, ¾ time admin assistant, assoc rector ½ time, lay leaders in charge of children and finances (8)
Hired Young Life leader ½ time and ½ time administrator; if had to do it again, would hire youth/worship combination position and administrator (9)

Question 3 - Location

2009-07-23T10:32:00.003-04:00

How did you go about finding a place to meet? What factors were considered? What were the requirements for the facility? What options were available to you (school, office bldg, etc)?

First met in homes and encouraged people to go to Sunday services at a church they liked (1)
Starting meeting on Sunday mornings almost 2 years after planning began, began during Lent (1)
Initially met in an empty room above a store front (free) and borrowed chairs from a local Methodist church (1)
Community room owned by a non-profit that could seat 85, rent was $50/Sunday; as the church grows will contribute more (1)
Didn’t want to use commercial space for a traditional service (2)
Networked with local pastors and used their space (library) free of charge (2)
Looked into meeting at 7th Day Adventist churches, local art studio (2)
Hope to start a service at local music school (2)
Met at 5pm Sunday evening at a local Lutheran Church, fee to use facility; then moved to a Baptist church that could use for free (3)
1st Sunday morning service at Sheraton Hotel for Easter (3)
2.5 years after bible studies started moved into an elementary school; contract with school district, negotiated to have 2 pods kept at the school for storage and the PTA uses one of the pods (3)
1st service in pastor’s living room and then met in a room above his garage for first 4 weeks (4)
Moved to ARS (air-conditioning company) building that had a training room that could hold 50-70 people on Sunday mornings, rent was free and stayed there for 6 months (4)
After 6 months had 1st public worship, a church member owned a local mall and moved into one of the empty bays and used another bay across the hall for the nursery, $2500 monthly rent including utilities for 2 bays; after a store went out of business moved into a double bay that could accommodate 180 people and paid $5,000(4)
After 1 year moved into a portion of Belk office space, month to month lease, paid $6,000 (out of $20,000 total) for rent and utilities separate; later had to pay fair market value of $20,000 and yet not in location desired
At the beginning, started in a melodrama theater and looked geographically for bigger places, the goal was to meet unbelievers in the city (6)
Moved into a school from the incubation period, the school admin was very open and excited (7)
The strong interest was to meet the lost, but used a growth and demographic study to confirm area to determine location that confirmed prior knowledge (7)
Had no targeted demographic, but was simply open to the Lord; now, desire to stay in the center of Austin and plant 10-12 churches (8)
In 1990, moved into school; location was due to 85% of congregation lived in southwestern part of county (9)

Question 4 - Legal

2009-07-23T10:30:00.001-04:00

When did you file as a 501(c)(3)? Was there a lawyer in the congregation or who served as your counsel? Do you have renters/owners insurance? If so, who performed research and what company did you use?

One year after initial meetings: Ecclesiastical corporation entity through the state and applied for employee identification number through federal government (1)
Started legal process 4 months after moved to area to establish church (2)
Senior warden is a clerk for a federal judge who took care of tax exemption (2)
Filed as a non-profit 1 year after rector was hired, used mother church in the area to help with finances initially (3)
Liability insurance covers pods rented for storage, time when in school building, and office space (3)
Registered in South Carolina first and then transferred to North Carolina (4)
1st year of liability insurance was paid for by another individual; later purchased content insurance for computers and other equipment (4)
Offer full time benefits now, but had liability insurance very early on, it is a must (6)
Within 9 months, had set up 501(c )3 status and written bylaws, gave congregation confidence that the church was smart in moving forward (7)
Lay leaders/vestry drove filing for 501(c )3 status, insurance, etc. (9)

Question 5 - Finances

2009-07-23T10:28:00.002-04:00

At what point did you determine a budget was needed? How did you raise the initial funds? How are salaries determined? Who handles accounting and payroll?

Lead pastor raised support 1/3 from core group of 20 or so, 1/3 from outside friends and family, 1/3 from other churches (1)
Key expenses: rent, contribution to Anglican mission, salary for lead pastor (1)
Wife of the pastor is the bookkeeper, treasurer was on the leadership team, monthly trustee meetings (1)
Trustees created a promissory note that each year $3,000 accruing for pension fund (1)
Clergy nothing to do with finances, lay person is a treasurer who keeps track of weekly collections, no costs other than advertising and rent (2)
Good stewardship: pastor raised money from friends and family initially and Sunday giving was put into a savings account (4)
Breakdown of costs: 5% to local mission team, 10% to AmiA, 25% to occupancy costs, 50% salaries (including health insurance and retirement contribution), 10% for operations (bulletins, communion, men’s and women’s ministry) (4)
Had staggered funds from the ECUSA diocese and started a finance team early on in the process of planting (6)
Did not feel financially stable until around 200 in attendance regularly (6)
While incubating in preexisting church, tithed to the church plant (7)
From the beginning, 5% to local outreach, 10% to AMIA, 1% to leadership development; second year increased local to 10% (7)
Rector raises about 90% of support; initially, AMIA covered expenses for 3 months to bridge the transition to church planting (8)

Question 6 - Operations

2009-07-23T10:23:00.001-04:00

How did you decide on a service schedule? Who helped with this? How many services do you have? How do you handle issues such as childcare, equipment, storage, setup, etc? Are you currently renting a facility? What are the plans for purchasing land or a building?

Not emphasized, church about multiplying church community and not the facility (1)
Music is all done through a laptop, music files prepared beforehand and just need to start music at right time (2)
Bulletin and weekly insert for readings and hymns prepared by pastor (2)
To grow needed to met on Sunday mornings because people are conditioned to this and easier on families (3)
2 years after official launch began to actively pursue the purchase of land (3)
Do not launch before having critical mass, enough people to cover set-up and childcare roles; whatever you weekly need is, have enough volunteers to only as people to volunteer once a month (8)

Question 7 - Marketing

2009-07-23T10:20:00.005-04:00

How, to whom, and where did you market? What type of marketing- flyers, ads in newspapers, etc? Did you perform any market research? How has marketing changed with time? Are service bulletins done in-house our outsourced?

4 yard signs to direct people to meeting place, website, no bulletins (1)
Advertising in local newspaper ($30/week), website established by pastor (2)
Mainly relied on word of mouth, self-identified Anglicans, network of friendships, and university community (3)
Advertise in school newspapers, local newspapers, and phonebooks (3)
Increase newspaper advertising around religious holidays, back to schools, and for the launch (3)
1 year after brought on rector a parishioner helped created a website for $1,200 (3)
Did very little advertising, mainly word of mouth (4)
Tried a phone campaign, but did not work, mostly word of mouth, very relational (6)
Early on, did mailers and door hangers, Saturday newspaper ad, yellow pages ad; if had to put money into anything, strongly recommend street signs (7)
Used website and invite cards (business card size with directions to church on one side and information on the other) that could be passed out at work, etc.; very relational (8)
Used letters to the editor of the local paper, Young Life connection, billboard across from maim mall (9)

Networks Joined

2009-07-23T10:20:00.001-04:00

Joined AMiA as a missionary fellowship 6 months after 1st organizational meeting; started to receive funding 1 year later (1)
Joined Heart of America Network 1 year after joined AMiA (1)
Before official launch joined Rwandan diocese
Second year of plant, had $4-5,000 grant from the AMIA, but AMIA was very open about its infancy, etc. (7)
Part of Rocky Mount network now, geographically a great fit and finances available if necessary, meet with bishop about every 6 weeks (7)

General Best Practices

2009-07-23T10:17:00.000-04:00

Bring in an outside coach or consultant to visit once a month (3)
Let the community form before programs, you want the church to be a warm and hospitable place (3)
Host a potluck once a month to build community (3)
Connect with other churches in the area (3)
Create commitments (i.e. commit to attendance, commit to prayer, financial giving, etc) for your members (3)
Rally the congregation, so that the church can run on its own if pastor leaves (4)
Ensure that there are financial adept people on your leadership team (4)
Rector needs to be careful about wearing too many hats (6)
Rector needs to have a coherent discipleship plan and be in tune to leadership development (6)
Match planting model to personality of pastor (6)
Support network from diocese, later network and other pastors was very important (6)
Family must be on board! (7)
Know your gifts as a pastor and hire people who compliment you (7)
Had a lot of support from incubating pastor and staff from his church for development and spiritual health (7)
Part of a pastor’s covenant group that meets once a month (8)
Family was very supportive and have other pastors outside of church to lean on (8)
Don’t take spiritual warfare lightly (8)
Relational flow from Andy Stanley (Choosing to Cheat) is correct: build church in heart, home, then city (8)
Now run a church planting residency program (refer to AIM materials in resources) that allows incubation periods for new plants within an existing church; has worked very well (8)
Family must be on board with call, but will not make tough times nonexistent, be prepared through prayer and fellowship to meet those familial challenges (9)
Partnerships with local community groups, like Young Life, were very important to growth and perceived legitimacy in community (9)
Had plans to move to land and direction early on, but Lord had different plans; need to be prayerful and open to the Lord and his desires; do not make it about yourself (9)

Sources

2009-07-23T09:40:00.002-04:00

Church Name	Contact	Location	Average Attendance	Date Church Launched
1 New Anglican Mission	Dave Kulchar	Flint, MI	20; small groups 25-40	March 2006
2 All Saints Anglican	Kurt Henle	Traverse City, MI	13	January 18, 2009
3 All Saints	Various	Chapel Hill, NC	200	Summer 2006
4 Apostles Church	Various	Raleigh, NC	200+	January 2001
5 St. Andrews, Little Rock	David Young	Little Rock, Arkansas	200+	Lay initiated Feb 1996
6 Cambridge Church	Jay Fowler	Overland Park, KS	200+	Sept 1996
7 Holy Trinity Anglican	Matt Burnett	Colorado Springs, CO	110+/-	Dec 2003
8 Mesa Community	Matt Kessler	Austin, TX	105 +/-	Jan 2001
9 Church of the Holy Spirit	Quigg Lawrence	Roanoke, VA	200+	1985

Resources

2009-07-22T16:09:00.003-04:00

Heart of North America
St. Andrew’s, Little Rock
Anglican Initiative for Mission
GCA church planting materials
Andy Stanley materials
Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger - Simple Church
Steve Sjogren books - Conspiracy of Kindness, Community of Kindness, Irresistible Evangelism, Outflow, 101 Ways to Meet Your Community, 101 Ways to Help People in Need