Church Planter in Residence
I just felt like I wanted to make a plea to other churches. A few years ago we created a position on our staff called church planter in residence and I think it's one of the best staffing decisions we've ever made.
We get a motivated staff member for 1-2 years. And they function like a utility player in baseball. They have their hands in everything! And then we send them out to plant a church and we continue paying them a stipend. Here is what is so healthy about that: we're always in the process of planting churches!
Now here is the challenge we face: we've got dozens of church planters who would love to come and do a CPR at NCC, but we don't have the financial model to pull it off. I'd love to have a dozen church planters on staff all the time! But we have to figure out how to make that work financially. We'll keep working on it, but I want to challenge emerging churches to consider adding a church planter in residence position to their staff! So many church planters are looking for a place to get their feet wet. They want to plant, but they need to be in a church system for a couple years!
Imagine a thousand churches with a thousand church planters in residence!
We get a motivated staff member for 1-2 years. And they function like a utility player in baseball. They have their hands in everything! And then we send them out to plant a church and we continue paying them a stipend. Here is what is so healthy about that: we're always in the process of planting churches!
Now here is the challenge we face: we've got dozens of church planters who would love to come and do a CPR at NCC, but we don't have the financial model to pull it off. I'd love to have a dozen church planters on staff all the time! But we have to figure out how to make that work financially. We'll keep working on it, but I want to challenge emerging churches to consider adding a church planter in residence position to their staff! So many church planters are looking for a place to get their feet wet. They want to plant, but they need to be in a church system for a couple years!
Imagine a thousand churches with a thousand church planters in residence!
15 Comments:
I've been subscribed to your blog for the past two months or so and this is the first time I've heard you mention the "emerging church." Can I assume that NCC is an emergent church? I haven't seen anything on NCC's website referring to "emerging churches." So, what do you mean when you say "emerging churches?" And why do you specify them in your challenge?
Thanks for looking, I enjoy reading your blog and I'm impressed with your Triathlon run.
Perhaps Mark meant emerging in the sense of new, recent, fresh and not the controversial sense...
As for the post itself...Here here! How encouraging to hear of the legions church planters in wait! I liken it to Perry Noble's recent post about why he has hope for the church; so much doom and gloom has been spoken about and over the "church" lately, it's always good to have a reminder of the hopefulness and advancement of Christ's Bride. And as someone who once toyed with the idea of applying for the NCC internship (timing wasn't right), it's great to see that GREAT churches like NCC are the ones offering this opportunity.
It gave me goosebumps to think about this! I have church experience, but now I almost want to go back and "start over" by being a church planter in residence.
James,
Thanks for the comment and question. I'm allergic to labels :) For example, I think denominational labels often pigeonhole us and lead to stereotypes. They tend to divide instead of unite.
I did use "emerging" versus emergent. I've got some great friends who are considered "emergent." So nothing against emergent. But I like "emerging" more because to me it refers to churches that are emerging as impact players and churches that focused on reaching emerging generations.
All I know is that we're orthodox in belief, but we also believe there are ways of doing church that no one has thought of yet.
My two cents,
Mark
Great! Thanks for your response Mark. I spent a little time looking up past blog entries and found you having the emergent conversation earlier. http://www.evotional.com/2006/05/enemy-is-us.html
I completely agree with your push to be continually relevant to new generations. As you said in the above posted conversation, "Truth and Relevance not Either/Or."
Jesus was a great example of reaching out to those around him in a relevance. The Prime example. To the farmers, fishermen, and people of that time he spoke of stories that related to them with the purpose of revealing Truth. We do not live in the same culture as Jesus did so why would we tell the same stories he told to unbelievers (however to believers these stories in context offer sooo much). We speak of fishing and farming to someone who has never fished or farmed and expect them to understand. The Truth does not change but the frame in which the story is told does.
It is great to hear that you are always reevaluating and looking to how you can tell the Story better, but there are many who don't know when or where to stop. Do you have anything in place to check yourself?
Thanks again!
Hey Mark...would love to connect with you on what you guys do...as a "emerging church"...LOL...(by that I mean one that just hit the scene) it is something we want to be intentional about from the beginning...would love to know what you guys do.
hey mark,
i'm a resident church planter at southeast christian church in louisville, ky--southeast's first stab at this. can you go into more detail about what a cpr does at ncc, or can you post that person's email?
it's been great for me and great for southeast, and i hope it's something we and other churches continue to do in the future.
Hey Carl,
Not surprised you guys are doing that :) Very cool. Our current church planter in residence is Chris Jarrell. You can reach him at chris.jarrell (at) theaterchurch (dot) com.
Hope we get to cross paths at some point.
Blessings,
Mark
Mark,
I am a 26 year misistry verteran who planted a church in Texas 15 years ago. your book "in a Pit" and God's movement has me out and planting again. the Texas church I led helped plant over 40 churches nationwide and was a great joy to lead, but I knew that the second half of my life was about planting again. I have found myself once again in a pit with a Lion only it is in Tallahassee Florida. Keep writing and leading!
Scott Weatherford
As someone who is just about to graduate from seminary (May), I can tell you I haven't found a lot of churches out there who are doing what NCC is doing. When I have emailed various churches asking them about a position such as this, I have not heard anyone say they are doing this kind of program. I have found a couple churches doing "intern" programs, but they are usually geared toward people just out of college in there young 20's and not someone our of seminary in his later 20's like me :(
But I am excited to hear Pastor Mark give the battle cry for other churches to do the same and am hopeful that other people in my situation will have a little easier time when it comes time for them to look for a program such as this. Way to go PM!
Hey Mark, sign us up! I would love to create this position at CLC - can you send some specifics on how you find such a person, job description, salary, etc. or do another post on those specifics? Thanks for challenging even us older guys!
Jerry,
I love it! CLC would be a great place for it. A couple thoughts on your questions.
It is a really a "catch-all" position so the portfolio is all over the place. They gets their hands into everything! It's important for them to learn every dimension of church leadership!
I think the salary is lower than a normal staff member because you continue to pay them after they leave and it is preparation for a church planter's salary. You definitley need to pay a livable wage! But you spread it out for 1-2 years after they leave.
And finding the person is a great question. For us it tends to be blog, conferences, and the network of churches we are part of. But I think you look internally first! Is there anybody in your congreation or staff that is ready to step up and step out!
My two cents,
Mark
Check out www.fellowshipassociates.com. I am currently a church planter in residence there along with 3 other planters. Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock, AR started Fellowship Associates in 1999 in order to be more intentional about planting churches. They were unusually blessed financially. I believe one individual provided the entire budget for the first 5 years. I believe the budget is upwards of 1 million a year. I would strongly recommend that planters take a hard look at Fellowship Associates residency.
Duke Revard
Dude...great challenge.
Mark must have liked your idea a lot! My husband is serving as the "church planter in residence" under Mark Bjorlo at The Journey North in Brainerd, MN (my husband went to school in Alexandria and I went to Staples (where we currently live)).
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