Keep the Church Young

"If a church wants to stay young, some of its original members need to be encouraged to go and plant new churches"

Keeping the church young is another factor we must consider if we want to create churches that keep sending out pioneers. John Wimber said that young people have babies and young churches tend to plant churches. If a church wants to stay young, some of its original members need to be encouraged to go and plant new churches. This movement will make room for new people to come in with fresh energy and enthusiasm to take up major roles in the church.

South Manchester Family Church was the first church I was involved in planting when we relocated to Greater Manchester in the early 1990s. This wonderful church sent out six church plants in the first nine years, some 200 people. I was always amazed at the vitality and faith in the church as new people stepped up to fill the gaps that sending made available.

Christ Church Manchester is the church plant I am currently leading and it is so exciting to see how, even in its formative days, people started to pray for another congregation to be pioneered. In the spirit of young churches having babies they stepped out before they were properly established, giving money and people. This has enabled CCM:City to start in south central Manchester and has now gathering around 50 adults in just over 2 years. CCM:City is now involved in pioneering a new congregation in Salford and is praying about other parts of Manchester.

Multi-site church is all about the team

"Every pioneer leader at CCM must feel part of the team reaching the whole of Great Manchester"

Team is very important for pioneer leaders and planters as often they can find themselves isolated.

At Christ Church Manchester we have endeavoured to help every pioneer leader feel part of the team reaching the whole of the Greater Manchester Region. They can then draw on a diversity of complimentary strengths and gifting, also helping one another through difficulties. Some will concentrate on the city wide work while others are diligently reaching their locality.

Having a commitment to one another and therefore for the whole gives a great sense of unity and enables the strength of the whole to be utilised in breaking open hard areas.

We often talk about being a Hyperlocal and City Wide Church. The essence of that is the team context where everyone loves the whole city and is focussed on a particular locality.

Wanted - Untried and untested pioneers

"Having a strategy for on the job training, as well as oversight, is vital for new pioneers"

As the rate of church planting increases we are going to find ourselves using untried and untested pioneers. Many who are in significant leadership today found themselves in situations that they were unprepared for. It was being on the edge of their comfort zone and experience that they learned and grew the fastest.

Having a strategy for on the job training, as well as oversight, is vital for these new pioneers. Making sure that the pioneers have a sober assessment of themselves is also important as they take on more responsibility. They will need to see that as the church grows they will probably have to hand over leadership to someone else, who’s gifting and ministry fits the growing work. Putting in the time and energy to see the church begin to grow, and yet not holding to tightly to a leadership position is emotionally challenging.

At Christ Church Manchester we have developed a training academy where we deliver generic leadership skills to all who desire to be involved in leadership. We also gather pioneers to learn specific incites and keys from gifted pioneers. They also benefit massively from each other as they share their own stories and challenges. These training schools allow us to give experience and coaching to the untried and untested.