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Day 3: Six Gathering Strategies

Prenatal One: Gathering

In this trimester, the planter needs a single focus. That focus is gathering a core group around the vision.  He needs to give priority to networking and prospecting.  He needs to mobilize his core to do the same.  In a typical plant, you need 100 people to have a healthy public launch.  In a house church model, the critical mass is smaller, but the principle is the same, rapid reproduction. The planter needs to understand the dynamics of networking, both from an individual perspective as well as a corporate perspective, to be able to gather a healthy core group.  He has to understand how the early church grew and then apply the same principles today. God gives the growth, but we have a part to play (I Cor. 3:6-7).

 

Startup Workbook: Gathering Plan

 

Key Books

The Rise of Christianity.  Rodney Stark

Thirty Years That Changed the World. Michael Green

Launch. Nelson Searcy & Kerrick Thomas

Go Big: Lead Your Church to Explosive Growth. Bill Easum & Bil Cornelius

 

Six Gathering Strategies

13. Viral Evangelism: How does the gospel spread?

     PowerPoint: Viral Evangelism

     Coaching Article: Getting Lift Off, Jesus & His Relational Web, Oikos Evangelism

     Video: Viral Hugging

 

14. Lay Networking: How will you training your core group to share their faith?

     PowerPoint: Lay Evangelism

     Coaching Article: Parable of the Orange Tree

     Video: Evangelism Linebacker

     Key Books: Master’s Plan for Making Disciples: Robert Coleman,
Contagious Christians:  Bill Hybels 

15. Bridging: How will you penetrate your community?

     PowerPoint: Bridging

     Coaching Article: Person of Peace

     Video: Ketchup Soup, ER- Forgiveness

     Key Books: Key Books: Church of Irresistible Influence: Robert Lewis,
Conspiracy of Kindness: by Steve Sjogren

 

16. Sneak Previews: How will you use sneak previews to gather your core?

      PowerPoint: Sneak Previews

     Coaching Article: Seven Advantages to Sermon Based, Activate Review

     Video:

     Key Books: Sticky Church: Larry Osborne, Activate: Nelson Searcy

 

17. Small Groups: How will you use small groups to gather your core?

     PowerPoint: Small Groups

     Coaching Article: Pyramiding Growth through Special Days

     Key Books: Launch: Nelson Searcy, Starting Churches on Purpose: Ron Sylvia

 

18. Marketing: How will you use marketing to get beyond word of mouth?

     PowerPoint: Marketing

     Coaching Article: Branding, New Church Marketing, LN-Branding Your Church

     Video: Marketing Problems, Seabreeze