How to Create a Culture of Reproduction

How To Create a Culture of Reproduction

Dave Ferguson, Community Christian Church, Chicago-land

Movement Leader of "The New Thing Network"

www.communitychristian.org

www.newthing.org

A HISTORY –

 

1988 – (Reproduce Cells) 5 leaders lead small-groups. Every group had an apprentice. Every ministry area would have an apprentice, that reproduces leaders and workers at every level. Those churches that are most effective at reproducing churches, already reproduce leaders through apprenticeship

 

5 Steps Process:

1. I Do, you watch, we talk
   
2. I do, you help, we talk
   
3. You do, I help, we talk
   
4. You do, I watch, we talk
   
5. You do, someone else watches…and it reproduces
   

 

1989 – Going to Multiple Services (Reproduce Congregations)

• Went to 2 services of identical twins
  
• Pro-active reproduction…don't wait till you need it, plan & prepare for it…artists, musicians, leaders, etc
  
• Don't form multi-sites because you have run out of space, do it once you have some leaders ready to go (LEADER READINESS is the trigger)
  
• Always talk about reproducing, send the leader, let the people do what they want when a leader goes to start something new.
  

  
   

1998 – Going to Multi-Campus (Reproduce Campuses)

• Went door to door – God surfaced new people…TREAT NON-CHRISTIANS LIKE THEY ARE CHRISTIANS UNTIL THEY REALIZE THEY ARE NOT.
  

  
   

2002 – (Reproduce Churches)

Now – Reproduce Networks of Churches

 

Chronically asking: "What's Next"

 

Reproducing Leaders and Artists

 

• We need to reproduce more and better leaders and more and better artists to be able to reproduce churches . Book: Leaders at All Levels – Ray Charan
  
• 2 Tim 2:2 – 4 Generations of reproduction…Paul to Timothy to Reliable Men to Others
  
• Reproduceable things are simple …we have made the church very very complicated. We must work to make things more simple. NAPKIN TEST – does it fit here, then it probably reproduces.
  

STEPS for LEADERS

1. Apprentice leader
   
2. Leader
   
3. Coac
   
4. Staff
   
5. Campus Pastor
   

 

STEPS FOR ARTISTS

1. Apprentice
   
2. Second Chair
   
3. Understudy
   
4. Shadow
   
5. 1^st Chair
   

   
    

Apprenticeship Provides 4 Crucial Experiences

1. Practice
   
2. Feedback
   
3. Correction
   
4. More Practice
   

 

Uses Both Informal and Formal Approach in Reproducing…Formal Process Steps:

• Vision Cast
  
• Huddle…how's it going
  
• Skill Training
  

 

 

Multiplying Small-Groups

Eric Metcalf – CCC with Dave Ferguson

 

• Always apprentice before they lead…make potential leaders do this
  
• 5 Options
  
  • In existing group they are already in
    
  • Apprentice with a coach
    
  • Apprentice with pastor
    
  • Turbo small-groups…put potential leaders together to study small-groups
    
  • Host led using DVD curriculum and learn from that OR use Field Guide Tool
    
• Leadership Expectations – a tool they use to help them understand what is expected
  
  • R – Relational
    
  • P - physical
    
  • M – Mental
    
  • S – Spiritual
    
• Ministry Role Description that is area specific
  
• Every group has a leader, facilitator, host
  
• Annually take groups through core theology, core philosophy, core values
  
• Groups can have more than one apprentice
  
• Their groups are pretty homogeneous and don't have end times, other groups are driven by curriculum and end when its over
  
• We need lots of different environments to grow in our faith…small groups, one-on-one, large celebration, etc. Search to Belong – Joseph Myers
  
• All leaders in the ministry lead a small group…many benefits
  

 

 

Reproducing from Day One

Matt Larsen – CCC Trained EFCA Planter in California

 

Cast Vision from DAY 1

• Start the conversation of reproduction before you start your first church.
  
• Developing people's hearts for reproduction will juice people up.
  
• Start developing others before you start your church.
  
• Start with a church name that is reproducible…several locations will cause people to see the name everywhere
  
• Call your church-plant the first campus
  
• Hire staff that are reproducers
  
• Bring on a church-planting apprentice from day one, have them build their team even while you build yours'
  

  
   

Reproduce as Soon as You Can, Not Once You Have To

• Thinking this way changes the questions you ask
  

  
   

Develop a Permission-giving Culture

• Lead with a guest, God is the guest that leads
  
• God moves faster than we do, why do we hold back?
  
• Coaching so people are ready to play
  

  
   

Measure Reproduction Internally (Dashboard)

• Celebrating – privately with leadership community, publically with congregation
  
• Connecting – help people connect the dots to see what could be next for them
  
• Contributing – pipeline of people and provisions
  

 

Develop Clear Leadership Expectations

• Creates common standards so people know what to do
  
• Creates communication pipeline
  
• Model it ourselves
  

 

7 Steps in Starting a Church (see www.newthing.org)

1. It is a heart & God thing first
   
2. Vision
   
3. Leader
   
4. Team
   
5. Finances
   
6. Alignment
   

Unstoppable

Asian-American Church Experience 101

Dr. Peter Cha - Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Asian-American Church Experience 101

Dr. Peter Cha – Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

See Pew Report

 

I.                     Asian American Experiences in the U.S.

A.      Demographic pictures

1.       Who are Asian-Americans?  Wide spectrum, but we will focus on Eastern or Confucian Asians.

2.       Rapid demographic growth – 250,000 to 13 million in last 58 years.  1965 Immigration Reform Act opened door for people to come…not where from, but what do you bring to U.S.?   Asians brought a wealth of medical experience. 2/3 of AA are 1^st generation immigrants.  1/3 second generation at this time.  1.8 million AA reported as bi-racial in 2000 census. This group will grow the most rapidly!  This group struggles to find places to belong, hence they will move toward multi-racial churches because they can relate to each other. 

a.       What are the challenges here?  What do we need to learn?  How do we prepare and proceed.

b.      Largest groups – 2.7 million Chinese who historically came from Hong Kong, but now from mainland.  Philippino. 2.4, Asian-Indian 1.9, Korean 1.3, Vietnamese  1.2, Japanese  1.1

3.       Geographic  Distribution

a.       West Coast largest

b.      Northeast 1.4 Asian-American

c.       South 1.1

d.      Atlanta fastest growing area right now.

e.      Mid-west 750,000

f.        Top 10 Cities

                                                                                                   i.      NY – 790,000

                                                                                                 ii.      LA – 370,000

                                                                                                iii.      San Jose/San Diego – 250,000

                                                                                               iv.      Honolulu

                                                                                                 v.      Chicago

                                                                                               vi.      Houston

                                                                                              vii.      Seattle

B.      Understanding Confucian-Based culture

1.       Three Levels of culture:  artifacts, shared values and world-view

a.       Visible and Invisible cultural components, visible are artifacts …if you only study and practice based on this level, you will likely miss what this people group is all about.   You must understand more deeply to

b.      Shared Values- …every culture has redemptive value and demonic value

c.       Shared world-view  - use of “Grand-Turino” movie as a dialogue starter, maybe read a novel by an Asian-American, not an academic study to learn about the culture…”Clay Wall” is a suggested book. 

2.       Bi-Cultural World of American-born Asian-Americans

a.       4 types of racial/ethnic identities

                                                                                                   i.      Acculturation with the white culture

                                                                                                 ii.      Over identify with their ethnic culture…reject white majority culture

                                                                                                iii.      Bi-cultural – making sense of both ends

                                                                                               iv.      Withdrawl – not happy with any of it (Virginia Tech Student)

b.      Minority Identity Development Theory – the internal struggle with the connection between both worlds, then the change in middle years…like return to immigrant ministries to reconnect with their roots thinking how to reconnect their children and best way to bring their 2^nd or 3^rd generation children up.

C.      Asian Americans as a racial minority group in the U.S.

1.       Model Minority – 60’s the group that seemed to be doing fine – Asian-Americans.  It is a myth.  Not all Asian-Americans are well-adjusted, educated, etc.  Pressure is now placed upon Asian-Americans to fit the stereotype.  Drove/Drives to more emotional breakdowns and suicide because of performance expectation.

2.       Perpetual Aliens – doesn’t matter how long your family has been here, you are still not American, (i.e. – 5^th generation American).  Sample Survey Taken

a.       I feel most uncomfortable when a person of this ethnic background becomes Pres. of US. 11% - Jewish, 14% – woman, 15% – African, 24 %– Asian-American (published prior to 911)

b.      Sense of never fully being an American because of perception

II.                  Asian American church Experiences:  post-1965 immigrant churches

A.      Selective Migration:  De-Christianization of America or De-Europeanization of American Christianity

B.                                                                        Rapid growth of immigrant churches

1.       Fellowship with other co-ethnics

2.       Socialization of the emerging generation

3.       Meeting Spiritual needs that don’t seem to be met in standard American churches

C.                                                                        The Challenge of generational transition

1.                                                                               The “silent exodus” of second-generation young people

2.                                                                               Emerging second-generation ministries in Asian immigrant churches

D.                                                                        The Formation of Asian American Ministries

1.                                                                               Asian Americans and college campus ministries are on the rise, then return to

2.                                                                               Pan-ethnic Asian American congregations

3.                                                                               Multi-racial congregations, led by the Asian-American pastor

III.                Implications for Church-Planting with and/or among Asian-Americans

A.                                                                                          Opportunities – spirituality that has been instilled

B.      Challenges – Asian-Americans are between the powerful and powerless, between the haves and have-nots. 

Increasing Our Harvesting by Effective Church Planting Residencies

Talk given to the National Church-planting Team of the EFCA by John Herrington, Church Planting Director of Hill Country Bible Church Austin, TX. Contact info linked above and included below.

Make a city movement with the view of reaching every man, woman and child. Do your church leaders own this burden? 

Mission Statement: That every man, woman, and child in Greater Austin has a chance to experience the Life-Changing reality of Jesus Christ because they hear the gospel from the lips of someone at Hill Country Bible Church (Disect this thinking)

HOW: 

• Multiply Disciples
  
• Planting churches that are spiritually vibrant adn strategically located
  
• Partner with like-minded ministries
  

TIPPING POINT:
If 10% engage, in our lifetime we can reach the city

ASSOCIATION OF CHURCHES:

• Voluntary association
  
• Share same vision/purpose
  
• Each church has 5-year planting plan
  
• Seven Characteristics of a missional church
  
• ASSOCIATION:
  
• New church begins as daughter
  
• 200 adults in weekly attendance
  
• 5 elders
• Multiple staff
  
• 10% giving
  

Paradigm Shift:

• From gathering from the church to gathering from community
  
• From Transplanting to Transforming
  
• From critical mass to Missional Core
  
• From financial dependency to financial freedom by creative Funding.
  

Funding:

• Outside supporters
  
• First Fruits offering from the Core over and above tithe as a part of the charter ... these people will stick and drive the ministry
  
• Network your Core to invite others to give to the First Fruits offering (get viral)
  
• Teach people sacrifice for the Kingdom
  
• Look at the well not the bucket

PLANTING COMMUNITY

• CP Essentials Training Class
  
• Taking it to the Street Training Opps - Let them taste it before they commit to it...evangelism
  
• Core Group SWAT/SWAP
  
• Infinity Alliance - middle ground of social action and pure gospel (both required)
  
• PlantR Network - get people into a network for support
  

CHURCH-PLANTING RESIDENCY PROGRAM

• 12 Month Program (you can flunk-out)
  
• Personally tailored Learning Contract
  
• Instruction from subject matter experts
  
• Coaching in Evangelism, Discipleship, exegeting culture, Project Management, Administration, Speaking, Leadership Skills
  

PHASE I -Training, Testing, Targeting, Teaming (4 months)

• DWAP
  
• Character Development
  
• Target Area exegesis presented to cp team
  
• Enlist a Missional Core Team...friends, up to 10 families from Sponsor Church, from community
  

PHASE II - Evangelizing (5 months)

• Envisioning, Equipping, Engaging Missional Core team to Evangelize
  
• Missionall Living Course, then weekly meetings
  
• Farm the Community...200 Contacts, 50 unchurched cultivated to "gatherability"
  

PHASE III - Launching

• 1st cut of MAP in month 4, but get to work
  
• Training for Key Launch Systems
  
• Project Planning - get someone who loves to manage projects
  
• Stewardship Prep
  
• Elder Development
  
• Pre-Launch group life
  
• Continue farming the community
  

FUNDING A NEW CHURCH

• Administrative and Training Costs covered in sending church annual budget
  
• Church-planting Acceleration Fund Established
  
• Intensive Stewardship Training for Missional Core - Charter Service First Fruits Offering
  

FINANCING A NEW CHURCH....ASK FOR MORE

• Recruit Prayer/Support Team
  
• Missional Core Giving
  
• Up to $100,000 loan like a temporary bridge loan repayable within 1 year
  
• Up to $50,000 grant
  

John Herrington - jherrinton@hcbc.com or 512-336-4377