Welcome to the communication page for Starting Outward-Focused Churches.
These seminars are for anyone interested in planting a church and the leaders who catalyze church planting. They are set up as short (15-40 minutes) video seminars presented by Canadian church planting leaders to be used with a team to allow group discussion and interaction or for personal study. For any church planter, much of the learning necessary for starting a new church is "just-in-time" and this resource allows for that learning to be shared with the whole team.
Churches considering starting another church can also use these seminars to explore the spiritual and growth dynamics involved in a group setting. One of the biggest challenges in starting another church is fear of the unknown. These seminars can help prepare a leadership team for the necessary steps that will lead to a healthy daughter church.
The Church Planter's Startup Kit is a full church planting manual included on the DVD. It presents concrete steps organized according to the stage of development of the new church. Glenn Gibson is the editor of this work and he references classic church planting resources from various church leaders in Canada and the US. Click here to download the table of contents (PDF).
Descriptions of the Seminars:
The Coaching Relationship - How to start and develop a coaching relationship. While the focus is on church planter coaching, the principles are transferable to other roles. Glenn Gibson, Outreach Canada.
Church Planter Characteristics - Common traits of successful church planters are presented to provide a basis for determining what kinds of behaviours are best suited for the ministry of church planting. James Watson, Outreach Canada.
Calling of the Church Planter - How does God direct people to church planting? Church planters experiences of calling, and patterns for living the life of a church planter are explored. James Watson, Outreach Canada.
Launch Team Development - There are certain roles that need to be filled for a church plant to be successful. Key role descriptions and character traits of team members are identified. James Watson, Outreach Canada.
Ecclesiology - How do we theologically understand the form and function of the new church. Principles for developing a contextual understanding of the new church are shared. Glenn Gibson, Outreach Canada.
Understanding Your Community (Parts 1 and 2) - How well do you know the people you are called to reach through your new church? Various tools for researching, analyzing and communicating the unique dynamics of your community are described. James Watson, Outreach Canada.
Assimilation - How will you disciple people from the fringe to the core of your new church? Using basic principles, discern what strategy you will use for discipleship and leadership development. Glenn Gibson, Outreach Canada.
Ministry Formation - Consider all the "systems" you will need to have in place in your new church to maximize your ministry impact. Glenn Gibson, Outreach Canada.
Evangelism - At the core of an outward-focused church is evangelism. Consider your core motivation and discern how you will incorporate the different elements of your church into a holistic approach. Kim Lester, Canadian Conference of Brethren in Christ Associate for Church Development; Jared Siebert, The Free Methodist Church in Canada Director of Growth Ministries; John Bowen, Director of the Institute of Evangelism at Wycliffe College.
Church Plant Life Cycle - Using his own story of planting an emerging church, Jared Siebert directs attention to the natural multiplication pattern of healthy church life. Jared Siebert, The Free Methodist Church in Canada Director of Growth Ministries.
A Multiplication Story - The story of how one church planted seven daughter churches in twenty years. Yes, it can happen in Canada! Gord Martin, Director of Vision Ministries Canada.
Church Multiplication - The lessons learned from twenty years of daughter church planting in Canada. Gord Martin, Director of Vision Ministries Canada.
Small Group/Cell Church - One of the basic forms of church structure is the pattern of large group and small group meetings. Consider the different options for starting a church of small groups. James Watson, Outreach Canada.
House Church - House Church (or simple church or home church) can be a strategic form of church in our current context. Learn from the reflections of an experienced practitioner. Brian Bauman, Mennonite Church Eastern Canada Minister of Missions.
Minimum System Requirements (Apple or IBM compatible):
1 Ghz / 256 MB RAM / DVD Drive.
If you are interested in learning more about Starting Outward-Focused Churches, contact James Watson.
If you are interested in the Distance Education church planting course that Emmanuel Bible College has developed based on Starting Outward-Focused Churches, contact Carol Blake.