July-August 2007 Together

Volume 2, Number 4: July-August 2007

Church Multiplication Ministries
New Church Leadership Training Conference

On March 21-24, 2007, a historic event took place for our denomination with our first New Church Leadership Training conference. Twenty-two participants from across the eastern United States attended this event, including current and prospective church plant leaders. Others were interested in becoming coaches and assessors for church plant leaders. NCLT was conducted at the Community of Faith in Memphis, TN.

Church Multiplications Ministries, directed by Randy Bloom, trained participants in the basic principles and processes necessary for successfully starting healthy new churches that will start more new churches. NCLT provides training based on the best that the church multiplication movement now offers from organizations and individuals such as Evangelical Free Church of America, International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, Ed Stetzer, Rick Warren, Robert Logan and others.

Training sessions led by Dan Rogers, Randy Bloom, Lorenzo Arroyo and Ken Williams focused on the three stages of church planting. The “dream stage” entails the development of the vision and mission for a new church as well as identifying its target group. The “building stage” focuses on developing culturally relevant ministries, ministry leadership teams and support groups. The building stage leads to the “launch stage,” when the dreaming and building becomes a reality with the birth and development of a new church.

Some of the attendees have already started new churches. Others are in the process of preparing to start a new church. Some participants wanted to learn how to help their existing congregations become more effective in their mission and disciplemaking processes.

All participants expressed appreciation for having attended NCLT. Tom Kennebeck, from Orr, MN, said, “I found this training very helpful toward establishing a biblical pathway to Great Commandment and Great Commission ministry in the development of our church plant.”

Tim Cenac, of Olathe, KS, said, “This conference gave me direction and purpose. It made me think big.”

At the conclusion of the conference, Alvin and Rhonda Goodwin of Bessemer City, NC, said that they were “thoroughly convinced that church planting is a God thing.”

Although CMM is primarily concerned with starting new churches for our denomination, the training it offers is applicable to multiple ministry contexts (leadership development, evangelism, discipleship, etc.).

If you are interested in starting a new church, or if you would like to provide financial support for either a new church or for any of the CMM training events, please contact the Church Administration & Development (CAD) office or contact Randy Bloom, director of CMM, at randy.bloom@wcg,org.—Lorenzo Arroyo

Second NCLT conference

June 16-19, 2007, CMM conducted its second New Church Leadership Training at our headquarters facility in Glendora, CA. Fifteen participants came to learn how to start a new church. The interactive sessions covered the following aspects (and more) of new church development:

• Biblical principles for starting new churches

• Key characteristics of effective new church leaders

• Determining a target group

• Building teams of ministry leaders

• Developing culturally relevant ministries and worship services

• Raising funds to start a new church

The program generated more excitement and interest for starting new churches. Several participants asked for training to be able to coach church plant leaders. Others requested church multiplication workshops for their congregations. Participants felt the material covered was extremely helpful for helping existing congregations continue to grow and develop.

Glen Weber, District Pastoral Leader and pastor of Vancouver, WA, and Portland, OR, commented about the training program: “It gives great tools to see the future in a whole new light—ways to gather, choose, and empower leaders…material to give us a strong foundation for coming decades.”

Alberta Ecker stated that the training was “giving us a new focus and a new hope for our future.”

Dan Rogers expressed the need for us to plan these leadership training programs in multiple locations around the country. We will begin planning for these right away.

In June, the CMM team planned to met in Memphis, TN, with Charles Albrecht of CAD and Ted Johnston, director of Generations Ministries, to discuss plans for the rest of the year and 2008. Charles will provide helpful input as we consider future planning and budget considerations. The CMM team and Ted will discuss ways to integrate church multiplication vision and goals into Generations Ministry programs.

Please continue to pray that we will be alert to the Spirit’s guidance as we continue to work to start more new churches. And please remember Jesus’ command to pray for more workers as we strive to reach all kinds of people, in all kinds of places, with new churches. —Randy Bloom