*****Warning Long Post Ahead*****
I don't want to scare you off, but this is a four page document stating the basics of what grace conneXion is about, and what our church plants are going to look like. It's long, but well worth taking the time to read through. That being said...
Business Plan
grace conneXion
Introduction
Beginning new congregations of followers of Christ is of utmost importance in today's world. Non-churched and dechurched populations are on the rise throughout the United States. The following document presents one plan that reflect that urgency and provides new avenues to reach people and gather them in communities of faith. Our vision is to create networks of followers of Jesus who want to make a difference in the lives of people all around them. These networks of Christ followers will be gathered into mid-sized missional communities led by leaders trained and supported by grace conneXion. Our purpose is to develop disciples of Jesus gathered throughout Central Texas, particularly in the Austin-San Antonio Metropolitan areas.
I. A Network of clusters; mid-sized missional communities
We will begin a series of cluster congregations networked through grace
conneXion. A cluster is a mid-sized group, 45-60 people, consisting of two or more small groups. The cluster model was pioneered by St. Thomas Crookes congregation in England, primarily to redesign existing churches.
http://www.stthomascrookes.org Our plan is to use this model as the base for multiple, simultaneous new community starts. As Bo Hopkins, in the book
Clusters states: "A cluster is small enough to share a common vision, yet large enough to do something about it." That common vision of creating a
missional network of Christ followers, takes form in the cluster. By creating small groups meeting in homes and other locations and gathering those into mid-sized communities among a target segment, a whole portion of the population can be reached on their terms. Infiltration beyond mere
attractional presence will be achieved.
Using this model there will be no monies utilized to buy property, build buildings or support full-time staff. Realistically, in today's world, the church must begin to rethink how it invests in beginning new works. Older attractional, building centered models, are both economically and culturally less feasible than in the past.
II. A mojor thrust for what we do involves training and mentoring church planters in order to generate the network. Instead of thinking of "hiring a church planter" new approaches working towards collaboration and discipleship will take place. We will be in this task together with others creating a new awareness of mutual calling and responsibility. We will develop support systems so that each mid-sized community leader is cared for and sustained by the network. The key to this mindset is that discipling starts now, within the leadership team and with the people we gather into communities. In place of traditional evangelism techniques, a "discipling along the way model" will be used. Everyone is on the road of discipleship, including leadership and the cluster members.
III. While reflecting on new ideas and developing new models a logical question arises; "How will we accomplish this?" The first step in this plan is to identify, develop and train leaders on a continual basis, who target non-churched or under-churched segments of the Austin-San Antonio Metro areas. By assembling a strong core leadership team a true network will be created from the outset of the movement. Finally, the vision takes form by building an ethos of multiplying the missional communities from the very beginning of the work.
We will work to identify and train leaders for each cluster. Some will be dedicated church planters, some will be lay people, and all will be called by God to this new task. The network will begin with at least ten cluster leaders building home groups. There will be a four month intensive training period for each group of leaders centered on mutual discipleship, worship and training in church planting. The goal is to have 30 cluster leaders in three years.
A. One of the strategies we wish to use is to develop specific relationships with Baptist theological education institutions already in the Central Texas area. Truett Seminary, Logsdon Seminary, the Baptist University of the Americas, Wayland Baptist University, and The University of Mary Hardin Baylor all have campuses in the region. These Baptist institutions can provide a wealth of resources to assist in the effort. They all have students called into ministry and missions. They all are functioning to train those leaders in context. By providing a specific model of practical church planting experience to students, grace conneXion can server these institutions in a particular way they may not be able to directly provide. Both Wally Goodman and Michael McAleer have specific experience in teaching at the university level and training for discipleship. Both have been involved in church planting.
B. We will target specific segments of the Austin-AS corridor.
The region encompassing the two Metro areas is one of the fastest growing, and one of the most economically viable in all of the US. Williamson and Hays Counties are two of the top ten fastest growing counties in the nation. Austin was selected by Forbes Magazine as one of the top two places to relocate in the US. Because of the strategic importance of the I-35 Corridor for future economic growth and its vital connection to Mexico, the area is ripe for more growth. Our goal is to target and begin work among 25 segments in three years and have 20 growing clusters.
Clusters are particularly designed to reach the "de-churched", those who have left the conventional church and the non-churched. The combined Metro areas reflect the national trend of growth in these groups. The de-churched are those who have abandoned formal denominations, whether for individual circumstances or particular hurts suffered in a church. In the cluster, they can find "new community" that reflects Biblical values and thoughts in a totally new context of the homes of trusted people. The non-churched, those who have never had any relationship with the church, can find a people friendly space that involves their friends and lifestyle.
C. The network exists to mentor and support one another in the discipling process. One key idea is to create a network of discipled leaders, who in turn create networks of clusters. Relationship building is disciple building. The leadership team and the cluster leaders will develop close dynamic relationships with people in the cluster. So as the network grows in number and depth, all of the individual clusters will benefit. There will be close individual contact between leadership teams in the network with monthly meetings of all the cluster leaders and quarterly celebrations for the entire network.
D. Multiplying mid-sized communities is one of the most efficient ways to reach people in the Austin-SA metro area. Because the very heart of the mid-sized community is missional, extending the network means following natural links within the population segments. Communities will be multiplied in two ways, either by growth of the cluster, "budding off" new ones, or by training other generations of leaders to join the network and target new segments. Either way the network grows through the production of discipleship relationships. Ministry to the neighborhood and the target segment are the heart of cluster action. Whether it is supporting a neighborhood school, working for the general benefit of community or developing transformational ministries, infiltrating their community lifestyle, the only reason for the being of a cluster is the creation of new disciples.
IV. What will this look like when it is functioning?
Once the first nodes of the network are in place, dynamic spontaneous growth should begin to take place. When functioning like this, the mid-sized communities are designed to server with a three-part emphasis on: UP towards God in worship and for His glory; OUT towards others by making disciples; IN towards themselves to be transformed by God.
The UP function towards God takes place through worship and praise. The weekly meetings in homes, the monthly cluster meeting and the quarterly grace conneXion meetings will all reflect this dimension. The spiritual power from the UP relationship in worship of God enlivens the whole network. Worship permits spiritual reflection and growth in Christ-likeness to take place. God's glory reflected through new disciples enlivened with his missional purpose takes place in every dimension of the network. People will worship God not just in new creative ways, but in new contexts and with renewed vision.
The inward dimension of networked life provides the seedbed for this reflected glory. As people share together in an intimate home setting, work together in missions in the neighborhood, transformational growth can take place. The IN dimension to life is not a mere self-reflection, but a reflection of God's will and purpose for the cluster.
The inward transformation will help provide the spiritual and relational dynamic for leadership. Community leaders will be actively supporting one another in their ongoing ministry. Ministry can be a lonely place. The networked help of other while facing challenges in the cluster will enable inward pastoral-discipleship to take place. People will be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit as the small groups focus on discipleship and the cluster focuses on missions and worship.
The clusters will be self-supporting, self-governing, and self--reproducing from the very initial moments of their existence. The disciple making objectives of this self autonomy are very important in growing mid-sized communities. Clusters will not be dependent on anyone for their functioning and truly free to develop their own focus within their target segment. Yet, at the same time, the responsibility to the network provides for high accountability.
Small groups and mid-sized communities gather together with a missional focus. The cluster exists to be missional. The outward focus of the cluster in missional acts in the local community will spur on the OUT dimension. Each cluster will be focused on a specific segment, working to meet the communities' needs, not the needs of the cluster. As the members touch lives in neighborhoods or interest groups that are focal points for the community, outward growth takes place to reach others. People will be sharing their faith and real hope in authentic ways within their target segment.
Clusters will also have MEtro and world missions concentrations from the very first. CBF missions' ministries will play an important role in this function by becoming the touch stone for both national and international missions' efforts. All of the clusters will be related to CBF through giving, prayer and participation in missions' efforts. They will clearly be identified with CBF in vision and values.
Conclusion
We believe this methodology and vision produces one very important thing: it can make a difference spiritually, relationally, physically, and emotionally in the lives of people in Central Texas. God's grace is a marvelous thing as people finally realize that God through JEsus in the power of the Spirit can actually change their lives. Grace touches everyone and everyone need that touch of grace from someone and from God. Relationally, the pure power of networked communities and leaders, creating a new community within existing groups, takes people from isolation to extended family. Physically, some of the clusters will be involved in changing economic and social circumstances as they work with marginal groups. Emotionally, people will have a new sense of belonging often lost in today's cookie cutter housing,developments or skyscraper tall isolated flats. It is not enough to just "start a new church" in today's world. Creating living communities of people holding themselves together with spiritual and relational bonds in necessary. Methods come and go. Church start come and go. What really lasts ia a way to allow people to connect with each other and with God.
