Existing Churches Helping Church Starts

I've been doing a lot of thinking over the past couple weeks that there are a number of existing churches out there that would love to help new church starts but feel they have limited resources to offer. This blog is designed to initiate ideas and possibly conversations on how existing churches, large or small can provide resources for new churches. This does a number of things 1) it maximizes kingdom resources 2) it provides a creative option for churches to consider 3) it answers some big challenges for church planters without forcing them to beg :) and 4) it fosters a relationship between existing churches and new church starts.

Here are some practical ideas for how existing churches can support new churches:

1. Equipment. I've worked at a few different churches and I have seen the amount of equipment that goes unused in a church setting. I'm not saying that church plants are a place to dump the old junk, but it would be a generous use of your time to do a legitimate inventory of the equipment that you own as a church, evaluating what gets used and what doesn't. By doing this you may find that you have 17 SM-58's when you use a max of 9 on any given weekend. Maybe you keep 4 as backups for when yours break down, you've still got 4 to give to a new church. The same is true with cables, speakers, lights, soundboards, computers, kitchen equipment, rolling carts, kids ministry equipment, tables, chairs, trailers, etc. If you are interested in church planting, but there isn't enough room in the budget to support a church plant, this is a practical way to assist. Odds are, church planters aren't going to come to you and ask for your equipment. It's not the way we operate because we don't have those expectations of you as an existing church. So, if this strikes you as interesting, find a church planter in your area, invite him over to your church for an afternoon and show him what equipment you have that he could have. Loans are useful, but you should assume that you will not be getting your equipment back in the condition it was when you loaned it. Portable church is very hard on equipment so if you're thinking about this, you may as well give away the equipment.

2. Books. There are so many helpful books out there on leadership, elder boards, theology, etc. Most pastors of existing churches buy many of these books, I know because I was one of them for 10 years. So, when you buy a book please consider doing one of two things 1) read it, then give it to your local church planter to read or 2) buy a second copy for your local church planter.

3. Facilities. Many existing churches have them, nearly all church planters do not. I understand that it's your building and you need to use it for your ministry. But just like equipment, it would be worth doing an inventory of when your building is used and when it is available. Meet with your local church planter and let him know the times that your building is available. Maybe it helps him out, maybe it doesn't... but either way the conversation is a huge blessing and it opens up some great opportunities. We had a local large church open up their facility for us to use for our launch team meetings, the fact that they knew we existed and wanted to help us get started was such a huge encouragement.

4. Expanded networks. Perhaps you don't have room in the budget to support a church planter, but if his mission is something you believe in and you want to get behind it, take him with you to your local denominational gatherings, leadership conferences, etc. Introduce him to people that may be able to help him financially. Networks are like capital, maybe you can't donate cash, but you might be able to donate your network.

5. Honorariums. You may not have money in the budget to support a church planter, but there is usually money in the budget for leadership development and guest teachers on Sunday mornings. Invite your local church planter in to talk to your leadership about evangelism, entrepreneurial adventures, new models of ministry, etc. It would be a great conversation starter and a chance for you to throw $200-$500 his direction from within the budget. Invite him to teach on a Sunday morning and provide an honorarium for his services.

6. Technology. I've spoken with a guy that works as a graphic designer for a church. He creates series graphics, videos and worship backgrounds for his church. He offered to bring an external hard drive up with everything that he has created to give to us at Anthem Church. If you have someone at your church that does this stuff... Give it away!!! What a blessing to a new church that doesn't have the time, resources or manpower to create content like this.

So, here's the proposal. I don't get a ton of traffic at this blog, but I am banking on some serious ReTweeting from church planters and existing church leaders to get this out. If it works out, the comment section of this particular blog could become a Craigslist of sorts for churches and church planters.

If you're interested, here's the next step:

Comment with:

Your Name

Your City

Your Church's Name

Your Needs/What you have to offer

Your Email Address

Let's see if we can get some real collaboration going on. If nothing else, send out the link on Twitter and Facebook to see if there are more guys out there that can help.

Also, let me know if you have suggestions of things to add, I'll keep adding to the list as people reply. Thanks!