Seminar in North American Church Planting
Date: March 6 – 10
Location: Grace Brethren Church of Columbus
8225 Worthington-Galena Road
Westerville, OH 43081
Cost: Grace Theological Seminary three hour course credit: $960
Official audit: $480
Course Description:
This seminar introduces the student to the basic understanding and skills necessary to start a congregation in any North American cultural context. It takes the student from call through self-assessment to reaching and bringing together a group of 25-75 individuals committed to being a church. A separate training track is planned to train developmental pastors to take a congregation beyond the 75 barrier through developmental pastoral ministry. Informed by David Garrison’s concepts of church multiplication, it seeks to train church planters to form new congregations aggressively and rapidly with a dependence upon follow-on pastor church developers. Some attention is given to participants who desire to pursue a founding pastor model as well. Students will be expected to engage the experience both intellectually and spiritually with significant encouragement given to building spiritual community within the class and work groups.
Course Requirements:
· Completion of all required assessment materials prior to February 28, 2006
· Attendance at all sessions and experiences
· Timely completion of all prerequisite reading assignments and submission of a reading report on Friday morning of the workshop week
· Submission of a typed personal church-planter portfolio indicating completion of assigned exercises by April 30, 2006. This portfolio will represent the first draft of a personal management philosophy and strategic ministry vision document for the church planter’s proposed project. It will be based upon insights gained from the class and assessment materials. It will include the following
o First draft of a church planter self-management plan
o First draft of a bootcamp strategy, including KRA’s
o First draft of a contact-making strategy
o First draft of a birth design
o First draft of proposed metrics and two-year ministry plan for the new congregation
o Active and positive participation in the worship and work groups
Course title: MI 700 Seminar in North American Church Planting
Registration: Contact Jessie Schroder, Grace Seminary Missions Coordinator:
Email: schrodil@grace.edu
Phone: 1-800-544-7223, ext. 6413
Fax: 574-372-5114