"What if the Washington/Baltimore corridor was known as the hot spot for church planting, where "everything is happening", where hundreds of planters are drawn to be trained, supported and sent out to plant each year, where the most innovative and creative church planters, discipling practices and church cultivating strategies were envisioned, where innovation, experimentation and the future of national and international planting is dreamed up." This dream was spoken by Joey Tomassoni, a church planter from Annapolis, MD in response to our first leadership gathering of Accelerate.
13 church planters, church planting church pastors, and denominational leaders gathered on October 28 to envision how we could collaborate to accelerate church planting in the Washington/Baltimore corridor. The atmosphere was filled with anticipation as each shared their insights as to the needs of church planters and how we could make a difference for the kingdom. The following is a summary flyer I created from the seminal event.
Accelerate
An alliance of church planting churches, networks, and denominations for the purpose of accelerating church planting in the Washington/Baltimore corridor.
Coming alongside in a collaborative effort to attract, inspire, and equip kingdom-minded leaders to engage their time, talent, and treasure in catalyzing a movement of healthy, reproducing faith communities.
Four areas where we can make a difference:
A. Help initiate mentoring and peer relationships for church planters.
1) As a catalyst for networking together planters and mentors.
2) As a catalyst for peer fellowships of church planters.
3) By bringing mentors together periodically to share stories and best approaches.
B. Skill sessions for church planters with an emphasis on break-out small groups to
help connect peer-to-peer relationships and also planter-to-mentor relationships.
C. Strategic learning sessions with leaders from church planting churches and others
to discuss best practices, new models, and approaches for the future.
D. Story telling how God is at work in lives and new churches.
Stories
Dan said that 1 1/2 years after starting their church he was discouraged and ready to quit. A pastor who was 10 years along in his church start put his arm around Dan and said, "Let me walk with you through this." They meet every month and Dan can call him anytime to talk and ask questions. Dan said, "It made the whole difference in the world. It made the difference between moving forward and cashing it in."
Tom, 3 years into their church plant said, "I don't feel like I know what I am doing at all, so I want to learn from people who do." After visiting their church and talking to people, I (Ron) felt they were doing a great job. Tom just lacks confidence and needs a mentor who he can bounce ideas off of and encourage him.
Todd met with Sam, whose church is a year old. Sam felt like he had hit a wall. After encouraging and sharing ideas Sam said, "That's it! I can do that. I feel like I have permission now to move ahead."
YOUR ASSIGNMENT: What pastor do you know who you could encourage to also mentor a church planter? It starts by calling a church planter, meeting him on his turf, and buying him lunch.
