I believe every healthy church can play a role in church planting. I believed this when I started this job a little over two years ago, and I believe it now.
I’ve found that many churches don’t think they can be part of church planting because their misconception is that you need oodles of money and a large congregation to participate. If you have money and/or people to give to a new church plant, that is great, let’s talk! However, I’m also looking for some of our Converge churches to adopt our up and coming planters. Especially as we are now getting more planters in our southern states, they are greatly desiring to be connected within Converge MidAmerica.
Yes, even if you are a church in Michigan or Illinois you can adopt a church planter in Tennessee, Arkansas, or Kentucky.
Here are ways that adopting a church plant helps them:
- The Parent Church allows the plant to reference them to gain credibility as they build a launch team.
- The Parent Church pastor can serve on the temporary church plant board for accountability.
- The Parent Church can pray for the church planter and his family.
- The Parent Church pastor can provide a confidential ear to listen and even a shoulder to cry on.
- The Parent Church pastor may (doesn’t have to be) be a coach to the church planter.
- The Parent Church may send a youth group or missions team to help with an outreach or large scale program.
- The Parent Church may send cards of encouragement or celebration of certain milestones.
- The Parent Church can invite the church planter to their mission’s weekend.
- The Parent Church can invite the church planter to come preach.
- The Parent Church pastor may come and preach at the church plant or speak to the launch team.
Here’s the other cool thing: when a church adopts a church plant and the congregation starts getting involved, it fans the flame of missions and evangelism in the parent church.
So, if any of this piques your interest please contact me. I have planters waiting to be adopted!
