Planting a church is an incredible act of faith.
Church planting requires vision, dedication, and a whole lot of reliance on the Holy Spirit.
- But what happens when the church plant begins to mature?
- How do you ensure its continued growth and health as it transitions to independence?
The key lies in a well-planned, Spirit-led transition process.
Moving Beyond Paternalism
It’s tempting to hold onto the reins, wanting to protect the church you’ve poured your heart and soul into. But transitioning beyond a church plant requires a shift in mindset. We need to avoid the trap of paternalism, or the belief that the church plant cannot survive without our constant guidance.
Instead, we must trust in the Holy Spirit’s continued work and empower the church towards self-sufficiency.
This transition doesn’t happen overnight. It requires intentionality and a commitment to equipping the church for long-term success.
Key Questions for Your Leadership Team
To effectively guide a church plant towards maturity, pastors and church leaders need to address some crucial questions:
- Incorporation: How will the church be legally structured?
- Affiliations and Associations: Will the church remain connected to a denomination or network? What kind of support will it need?
- Transferring Leadership: How will leadership be identified, trained, and empowered to take ownership?
- Missionary Transition: What is the role of the church planter after the transition? How can they continue to support the church without hindering its independence?
- Ongoing Reproduction: How can the church be equipped to plant new churches in the future?
From Parent-Child to Mature Adulthood
The relationship between a church plant and its planters can be likened to that of a parent and child.
Initially, the child (the church plant) needs significant guidance and support. But as the child grows, the parent’s role should shift from control to empowerment.
The goal is to raise a mature, independent adult capable of thriving on its own.
Empowering the Church for Independence
The transition phase focuses on equipping the church for autonomy. This involves:
- Equipping Leaders: Providing training and mentorship to develop capable leaders who can shepherd the congregation.
- Transferring Authority: Gradually handing over decision-making power to the local leadership.
- Creating Structures for Financial Independence: Establishing sustainable financial practices and giving patterns.
Commissioning, Installing, and Fostering
The ultimate goal of the transition is to:
- Commission members and elders: Officially recognize and send out leaders to serve the church.
- Install a pastor: Ordain and install a local pastor to lead the congregation.
- Foster church associations: Encourage the church to connect with other churches for fellowship, accountability, and support.
Multiplying the Church
By embracing a thoughtful and intentional transition plan, church plants can effectively multiply the Church.
As church plants mature and become self-sufficient, they are freed to focus on their mission, reaching their communities with the Gospel and planting new churches. This cycle of reproduction is essential for the continued growth and expansion of the Kingdom of God.
A Resource for Urban Church Planting Leaders
This content was taken from The Church PLANT Manual.
Written for the urban context, World Impact’s Church PLANT Manual is the guidebook of the Evangel School of Urban Church Planting.
This principle-based resource is designed to assist urban church plant teams in developing a strategic one-year plan for their specific context and needs, whether they are planting a new church, preparing to re-plant (restart, revitalize, or relaunch) an existing church, seeking a process for transitioning to the next generation of pastoral leadership, or creating a church planting movement.
About the Evangel School of Urban Church Planting
World Impact’s Urban Church Planting school provides comprehensive training, experienced coaching, and a supportive community to help urban church plant teams navigate the unique challenges and opportunities of planting a church in a diverse urban community.
Whether you are planting a new church, preparing to re-plant (restart, revitalize, or relaunch) an existing church, seeking a process for transitioning to next generation of pastoral leadership, or seeking to catalyze a church planting movement, there’s a place for you and your team.
