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Toolkit Overview

The basic training material for equipping church planters and coaches is The Church Planter’s Toolkit by Robert E. Logan and Steven L. Ogne.  This action planning guide is divided into 12 sections.  Each section has a detailed tape outline for quick reference, a checklist to identify essential action steps, worksheets to help plan actions needed, and a Prayer Focus for reflection and intercession. 

The planter review each section after listening to the tape for that section.  He then uses the planning sheet on the back of the checklist to track his progress and monitor the tasks he is asked to do in that section.  Worksheets help the planter focus his action plan and accomplish the task related to it.

The coach becomes familiar with the material of each section, reviews the checklists and other assignments for that section, and reviews this material with the planter.  We are suggesting a one hour conversation per week.  On chapter where much work is needed to bring the planter up to speed, he is encouraged to invest two or more weeks on that chapter.  Chapters 3, 4, and 10 seem to be areas where many planters have needed more time.  As the coach and planter discuss application of each section, they agree upon which steps need to be taken next.

The goal of this coaching relationship is to establish a long-term mentoring relationship with the church planter.  It provides accountability, encouragement, and the benefit of the coach’s experience for the church planter. 

The following is a brief overview of each chapter of the Toolkit:

Section 1      Perspectives on Church Planting

Why start churches?

Common objections to church planting.

The planter’s own motivation for church planting

Personal priorities for planters:

            Deepening your personal devotional life

            Physical health

            Spouse and family relationships

            Renewing your spiritual and emotional reserves

What kind of church do you want to start?

The different phase of a church plant are discussed:

            Conception phase (sections 1 to 4)

            Prenatal phase (sections 5 to7)

            Birth phase (section 8)

            Growth toward maturity phase (9 to 11)

            Reproduction phase (section 12)

Section 2      Verifying Roles and Mobilizing Your Team

Church planter profile

Church Planter Evaluation

Launch Team Characteristics

            Ministry partners

            Team members

Ministry partner and Team member roles

            Evangelist - recruiter

            Worship leader

            Children’s ministry leader

            Shepherd

            Organizer

            Mobilizer

            Business Administrator

Evaluation of levels of competence for each leader

Planter’s exclusive roles

How to select your launch team

Mobilizing your intercession team

Section 3      Clarifying Your Church Planting Vision

Designing your ministry model.

            Vision statement

            Ministry goals

            Critical success indicators

            Ministry flow chart

Developing your vision

            What characterizes vision?

            How do you cultivate vision?

Refocusing process

            Making sure your priorities and vision stay headed in the same direction.

Articulating your values

            Reduce the number of core values to 4 -7 key statements.

Identifying your ministry focus group

            Understand who you are.

            Survey the demographics.

            Prayerfully discern whom God is calling you to reach.

Focusing your mission statement.  It is a concisely worded statement that defines the purpose of your church’s existence.  Who? What? How?

Section 4      Developing Your Church Planting Strategy

Clarify the style of ministry of your church.

            What is God already doing here?

            How do people relate socially?

            What spiritual battles are taking place?

Select an appropriate church name.

Determine your church planting method.

            Pioneering                 Branching

            Colonizing                  Seeding

            Adopting                    Partnering

            Revitalizing                Transplanting

            Propagating               Catalyzing

Developing your specific action plan

Complete reality checks

Outline for developing a written proposal

Section 5      Evangelism and core group formation

Strategies for mobilizing a core group

            Farming                      Telemarketing

            Networking                 Mother church

            Joining core group    Direct mail

Agenda harmony

            Behavior is the key measure of values.

Serious discussion and determination of values at the front end avoids problems down the road.

            Key issues to discuss:

                        Church government

                        Model of ministry

                        Style of worship

                        Programs you offer

                        Financial priorities

                        Priorities of what gets started first

                        How planter manages his time and schedule

                        Ministry focus group

Evangelism process

Evangelism training

Section 6      Facilities, Finances, and Organization Issues           

How to locate facilities

Church financial policies

Organizational issues          

            Monitoring critical success indicators helps your church stay on track.

            Incorporation

            Bylaws

Section 7      Getting Your Ministries Ready for Birth

The primary focus of this section is the essential ministry systems of a church and evangelistic activities.

Assimilation process

Network evangelism

Children’s programming

Youth programming

Worship team

Section 8      Dynamic Worship that’s Seeker-Sensitive

A seeker-focused service targets pre-Christians.  A seeker-sensitive service targets the believer, but adapts methods and style to be relevant to the unchurched person.

Seeker-sensitive environment

What is worship?

Worship principles

Cultivating a worship team

Worship evaluation

Section 9      Expanding Networks of Cell Groups

The core of a growing church will be cell groups of 6 -10 people that provide the setting for genuine caring and deeper commitment that complements the dynamics of celebrative worship and congregational fellowship.

Why small groups?

Cell group functions

Planning for unlimited growth

How cell groups multiply

Transferable concepts for Meta-Church

Section 10    Empowering and equipping leaders

Motivating leaders

Recruiting leaders

Leadership community meeting

Vision casting

Huddle time

Skill development

Coaching leaders

Helping leaders grow

Section 11    Lay Mobilization and Ministry Development

Spiritual gifts mobilization

Strategic planning model

Pastor’s planning workbook

Obtain congregational commitment

Section 12    Starting Churches that Reproduce

Keys for advancing God’s kingdom

Comprehensive church planting model

Develop vision

Design strategies

Cultivate commitment

Mobilize sponsors

Recruit planters

Assure performance

Build momentum