Our System

Church Multiplication

"Moving at the speed of God"

Our Church Planting System is built around the following: 
 
Prayer

  • Prayer is recognized as foundational to everything that must be done in church planting.
  • A “prayer network” is in place and will be developed, with regular communication given to all participants.

Recruitment

  • We are engaged in active and regular recruitment of potential church planters, both at seminaries and within the borders of our convention.
  • The North American Mission Board’s “Nehemiah Project” is a focal area for recruitment.

Assessment 

  • All potential BCM/D church planters (and their spouses, if married) will be assessed to determine their church planter temperament and abilities.
  • Only assessed church planters will receive BCM/D funding.
  • Assessment will be done locally, if funding is involved.

Training

  • All funded BCM/D church planters are required to attend "Focused Living" and “Basic Training” within several months of beginning their work. Spouses are strongly encouraged o attend.

Coaching 

  • All funded BCM/D church planters are expected to select a “coach” for two years from the BCM/D coaching network.
  • All coaches have received training for this relationship.
  • All coaches are also strongly urged to attend “basic training” with their planters.

New Church Incubators 

  • Learning communities are established for church planters and spouses that provide them with regular training and fellowship.

Parent Church Process

  • Systems are established for enlisting, training and supporting parent churches. These “parent church” networks will address needs, problems and support.

Location of Church Planting Sites  

  • The eleven associational directors of missions within the Maryland/Delaware area are responsible for the selection of the sites for new church starts.
  • Each Association will always have at least THREE locations in preparation.

"Anchor" Churches

  • Theses new church starts 3-7 years of agehave demonstrated their commitment  to Kingdom values and are targeted for greater growth and reproduction, as well as a deeper leadership role in the future of the BCM/D.

"Teaching" Churches

  • These churches have shown an effectiveness and DNA for church planting. They are used as a training ground for interning potential church planters.

Language/Ethnic Starts 

  • Special attention is given to the starting of new churches among language/ethnic groups.
  • Catalysts/Language missionaries and our Advisory Councils help us to be aware of their needs and opportunities.

Funding 

  • Basic funding continues to be through the annual cooperative budget between BCM/D and NAMB.
  • Other financial streams which may produce funds for church planting include the State Missions Offering, funds from the Bull Endowment Legacy as well as gifts from other “partnership” arrangements.

Marketing 

  • Our Church Planting Efforts will be marketed as fully as possible using the BCM/D Communication Center's expertise while utlizing the giftedness of other available sources.

Multiplication

  • All plants are expected to reproduced more than once over the course of the next decade, with the first chruch plant started before year five in thier own existence.