Our PROGRESS

In the preparation phase, the planting pastor does everything necessary to put himself into a position for planting a church which includes confirming call and location, gathering a preliminary session/board, building a prayer team, fundraising, training, developing the church’s initial philosophy of ministry, transitioning, and so on.  Additionally, this phase also might include gathering some initial individuals and families who are interested in planting with the planting pastor to begin meeting together in a small group context.

In the gathering phase, the planting pastor and initial interest group do the work of networking and evangelism within the target area, which includes the gathering of founding families and individuals into a core team that is focused on uniting together around a shared vision for a new church in a shared place as they move towards launching public Sunday morning worship services.

In the pre-launch phase, the planting pastor along with the core team work together to identify and recruit faithful Christians to join the launch team.  As the launch team reaches a healthy size and level of readiness, they will begin pre-launch services, allowing for the launch team to prepare for weekly public worship services by working out all the details involved, as well as giving the launch team a place to invite others who might be interested in joining the church plant at this point.  Additionally, in the pre-launch phase, the launch team would continue to meet for fellowship, prayer, and discipleship in a small group context.  Also, depending on the size of the launch team, there could be multiple small groups meeting at the same time in this phase.

In the launch phase, the launch team has reached a level in size and readiness to begin launching weekly public worship services.  In addition to launch team readiness, there also must be a level of organizational readiness that would include things like the development of a website, communications, and a system for giving.  Additional readiness metrics would include finding a meeting location, financial maturity to purchase initial one-time Sunday Morning Worship supplies, and the development of essential Sunday Morning Worship ministry teams such as a music team, nursery team, children’s ministry team, and more.  In addition to launch team and organizational readiness, there also must be a level of marketing done within the target area to invite and get the word out to as many people as possible about the first public worship service through the website, social media, publications, personal  invitations, and more.

In the development phase, the planting pastor and church plant are continuing the work of networking, community engagement, discipleship, evangelism, and worship.  However, in addition to this work, the church plant must begin the work of developing infrastructure, receiving members, training leaders, becoming financially independent, and more.  The goal of the development phase is for the church plant to work towards particularization which would include the training and installation of officers (Elders and Deacons), as well as financial self-sustainability.

In the maturing and multiplication phase, the church continues to mature in the work of networking, community engagement, discipleship, evangelism, worship, member care, and leadership development.  In addition to this work, the church also begins to lay the foundation for future gospel-centered, neighborhood-focused daughter churches in the Cincinnati area and beyond.