We are in the third part of the details about starting a new church. The first part was like a review of all 5 stages of starting a church. The second part saw the first phase of the beginning of the church: the vision, the dream, the call for the new church, how to recognize it, how to find it.
Today let's look at the second phase and for a few Wednesdays I will share with you the other phases.
Phase 2, TEAM BUILDING
This time is recommended to last 6-12 months. No earlier than six months, enough time is needed to build and test a good team. But on the other hand no more than 18 months. If more than 18 months pass, the credibility of the vision you are sharing for that many months falls. Because nothing is happening and doubt begins, will it really happen, will the new church begin? Ideally it would be 12 months. As Jesus began His ministry. He started with 12 disciples from the beginning.
Let's see this should be the focus in the team building phase:
1-Who are the right people for your team.
Before you start building the team, make sure you have a clear vision because based on the vision you will build the team because you need people who love that vision and want to take it forward, see it happen.
A church has 5 purposes: Worship, Fellowship, Discipleship, Service and Evangelism. Make sure that the people who will become part of your team have talent in one of these goals.
2-Require high commitment from the beginning. I was looking at a picture that often describes the situation of many people. In the photo, the leader says: "Who wants change, raise your hand" and everyone has raised their hand, everyone wants change, to do something with their lives. In the second photo, the same leader says: "Whoever wants change and will do something to bring it about should follow me" and no one is following him. Or how is that popular proverb: "From what is said to what is done, there is a whole sea in between." Therefore, when you have shared with a person the vision of the church and he/she wants to join, ask him/her to commit to these 5 things.
a - We will meet every week as a team, on such and such a day, at such and such an hour, in such and such a place. Because the team starts meeting and you're asking that person to invest their time in this new dream. If someone does not agree to commit, there is nothing. Tell him, "Join us on such and such a date after we have started the church, but now I am looking for people who are committed to this thing."
b - Will give 1/10 from now on. New churches rarely have finances from the beginning, later a donor may approach and this does not always happen. But ama, every member of the team starts giving for this new dream. Not only may finances be needed for the things the team is going to do, but it shows that the person believes in it enough that they are ready to invest their own finances. Pastors are sometimes accused of abusing church finances, so be wise in managing them, it would be best if the pastor does not keep the money since the decision, of course he is the decision maker about it, but he does not manage them. If someone does not agree to commit, there is nothing. Tell him, "Join us on such and such a date after we have started the church, but now I am looking for people who are committed to this thing."
c - I will prepare to serve in one of the 5 purposes of the church. You are asking that person, we will not only say nice words, but each one will do his part in this team and the new church that will start soon. And everyone commits that they are ready to invest their energies according to their gifts for the new church. If someone does not agree to commit, there is nothing. Tell him, "Join us on such and such a date after we have started the church, but now I am looking for people who are committed to this thing."
d - I will bring 5+ unbelieving friends of mine to the opening day of the church. When you ask them for this, in the beginning everyone has time to pray for them, to meet them, to create opportunities to share the good news with them, and as they become friends, it will be easy to invite them to the day of the opening of the new church. And each person commits that they will invest their connections, their friendships for the new church. If someone does not agree to commit, there is nothing. Tell him, "Join us on such and such a date after we have started the church, but now I am looking for people who are committed to this thing."
e - He will dedicate himself to not worrying about what other churches, other Christians, other pastors say about the new church. The bitter truth is that the new church will be prejudiced, gossiped about. But you prepare the team in advance so that when it happens, they know and how to act. From time to time the new churches are seen as a threat to the "old" churches and the new pastor is attacked: "He has no experience, he doesn't know, he is compromising the gospel etc etc..." One of the things said about the ICF church In its beginnings, Tirana was nicknamed: "Block Church" the music in our church was upbeat and festive. Now, I didn't know how to take it, as a compliment or as prejudice, but we all knew this was going to happen and many other nicknames have been told to us over the years. But do you encourage the person to commit to investing his/her emotions in this new church. If someone does not agree to commit, there is nothing. Tell him, "Join us on such and such a date after we have started the church, but now I am looking for people who are committed to this thing."
There may be some other points that should be added, but for me these 5 have been very helpful.
3-Treat the team as a military unit, like special forces, swat; not as a hospital. Since the time of the reformation, it has been talked about and the reformers have debated about this: The Church Is a Hospital, for people who come on Sunday wounded by life and come to heal their wounds and be healed. The Church Is Ward, we are called to bear our part as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. We come to church on Sunday, to our "ward" to be equipped, empowered to fight the battle that we have before the whole week. My opinion is: the church has both, the hospital and ward. There are people who are hurt by the week and need prayer, care, a word, to be heard. There are people who are great, they are ready to fight, they just need to be equipped with the right "armament".
Now, treat the team you are preparing to start the new church as a ward from the beginning. Each time you get together focus on how to empower each other, how to help each other discover your gifts and how to use them during the week. For you who are leading this team, make sure that the messages are with this focus, how to equip them better. The messages should be related to the values of the church, its vision, the preparations you have ahead of you for the next step of this church.
Last for this part:
4- Three elements. Make sure that every time you get together as a team, the meeting has at least these three elements: How you are, Message, Strategy. Since you are the leader and you have your mind on the new church and the things to be done, you want to start the meeting quickly and get right down to business. What are we going to do, when are we going to start, what is everyone going to do... But it's likely that the group will feel used by you for your vision. Because you are not interested in them, you are only interested in the work that needs to be done.
So make sure every meeting starts with people, how are you, how are you doing, what's your challenge, how are things from your personal life, family... Then share a message, lesson, principle. Make sure it's about empowering and equipping people, not a comforting message: "God is good, don't worry, we'll make it..." Of course God is good, but this group is a ward, not a hospital. They need tempering, not shoulder rubbing. The last is the strategy. Which means what we will do these times, what is the next event, what is everyone's responsibility, when, who, how, since, to... and some goals are set for the week ahead.
These are like four main steps in team building. Sure there may be other things.
Ideas: one time it's a prayer meeting, another time it's a prayer walk around the target area, other times the team gets together just for fun, a ride, a day at the beach, the pool....
As you were reading Phase 2 of the church, team building, what to remember, what is one thing or several things that should be noted in this phase of the church