The mission of the New Church Ministry Team is to ignite the passion of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to start as many new churches in as many ways as possible.
Our motto is: "A thousand churches a thousand ways."
As a result, there is no single model for starting Disciples churches. Even the five models we have defined have numerous variations and still do not reflect the situation for every new church. However, they are a helpful tool in looking at how to start churches.
Congregation Initiated
Also called our Churches Starting Churches initiative, these new churches are started by existing local congregations or partnerships between local congregations. History indicates that many churches that start new churches experience their own revitalization and both congregations reap the benefits of such endeavors. It is important to note that the new congregation needs to be empowered to make its own decisions from an early point in the process of development. For more information, download the Churches Starting Churches manual.
Individual Initiated
When an individual conceives a vision for a new church start, that person can work with their Region and the New Church Ministry Team to assess feasibility and discern the planter's calling to this work. Should all participants be in agreement, the individual assembles resources and works toward implementing their vision. In the first three years of the new church movement, the majority of our new congregations have started using this model. For more information, download the Individually Initiated model details and the Individually Initiated Project Manual.
Region Initiated
In some cases a Region will identify a good target location and do the initial work toward developing a ministry plan and gathering a core group for a new church project. The region will also perform a search for a church planter and facilitate the early stages of development. In rare cases, the New Church Ministry Team has taken this role itself, but generally they partner with the sponsoring Region. For more information, download the Region Initiated model details.
Affiliations
There are existing congregations that are not affiliated with any denomination that seek to be in relationship with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). In some cases these congregations have existed for a long time. However, the majority of these communities are newly formed. Many ethnic congregations fit this model since the organized denominations of their home country do not exist in the U.S. or Canada. For more information, download the Affiliations model details.
For more information
For more information on any of these models or to consult with the New Church Ministry Team on your particular situation, contact us.
