Resources
“Planting Churches Changing Communities” Study Guide
Here are some questions to help you get the most out of David Stroud's book Planting Churches, Changing Communities.
Chapter 1 Why plant Churches
How is the Church the hope of the whole world?
Why do you think church plants grow faster than older churches?
What has convinced you that church planting is essential for God’s plans and purposes?
Chapter 2 The Call of a Church planter
What is your call?
How did you receive it?
Chapter 3 Preparation of a Church Planter
How has God been preparing you?
What are your spiritual gifts?
What are your weaknesses?
How do you need to grow?
Chapter 4 How do you decide where to go?
What sort of area do you feel called to and why?
David Stroud talks of a fit between a planter and the community God is calling you to. Where will you be most effective?
If you know where you are going, summarise your research into the area.
Chapter 5 Vision
Follow the 7 steps on p49-51 to come with your vision for the Church plant
Prepare 30secs, 3mins and 30mins versions
Document how you have used the different vision and what you are learning from using them.
Chapter 6 Recruiting a team
What key roles will you need alongside you to maximise your strengths and minimise your weaknesses?
Who are you going to recruit to fulfil those roles?
Chapter 7 Characteristics of a Church Planter
In a few sentences show you fulfil the 13 characteristics of a church planter with examples
1. Confidence that God has called you
2. A deep inspiring vision
3. History of taking steps of faith
4. Strong spiritual life
5. A good marriage
6. Personally secure
7. Good follower
8. Ability to win those who don’t know Christ
9. Effective builder of strong relationships
10. Self starter
11. Planning, goals and time management
12. Raising up other leaders
13. Good communicator
Chapter 8 Planning and goal setting
Review your last year, what have you achieved?
Reflect on any prophetic direction God has given for the next season.
What’s your plan for the next year?
How are you going to achieve it?
Chapter 9 Staying focused
Do the mission statement worksheet from Appendix B
What are your priorities?
How do you work out the difference between the urgent and the important?
Chapter 10 Making sure the family thrive
What are you principles for an open home (based on boundaries you need to set for the season of life you are in)?
If you have children – how are the wired personality wise and what do you need to do to protect them and help them thrive?
What do you do for family time? Do any changes need to be made?
Chapter 11 Raising up other leaders
Who do you see as potential leaders in your setting?
What are you going to do to develop them?
Chapter 12 Gift of faith
How is your devotional life really?
Who in your circle is full of faith – how will you catch hold of some of their faith?
Chapter 13 Prayer
What is your prayer strategy personally, with other leaders and the Church plant?
Chapter 14 Apostles and Prophets
Trace through the Apostle Paul’s relational connections in the book of Acts – what can you learn from the way he interacted with those he worked with?
How have you been served by the apostolic team in your sphere?
What could improve apostolic and prophetic oversight?
Chapter 15 Getting to the launch part 1
Which model of launching (ground up or top down from p154) will suit you and your plant and why?
Chapter 16 Getting to the launch part 2
What is your gathering plan? Write down five different ways you will gather people .
How will you split your time between the people you have and those you are trying to gather?
What is your small group strategy?
Chapter 17 You only launch once
What’s the best venue in your locality and why?
What can you do to get the news out (other than the five suggestions on p187!)
What’s your follow up plan?
What elements needs to be in place for a good Sunday gathering?
What is your first sermon series going to be?
Chapter 18 Developing momentum
What is momentum?
What has built momentum in your current setting?
Who needs thanking? What creative ways can you do to celebrate success and faithful service?
Chapter 19 Momentum Stealers
What things is your plant doing? Is it too much or too little?
How will you handle or not handle difficult pastoral situations?
Are there clear areas of church life that are leaking momentum at the momentum?
Chapter 20 Building a strong community
Come up with a list of 30 community building ideas
How good are your relational skills? How can you improve?
How do you balance building community and gathering new people?
Chapter 21 Developing an eldership team
Why are teams the best way to plant churches?
How will you spot potential future elders?
Chapter 22 Building relationships with other churches
What are you going to say in response to “This town doesn’t need another Church”?
Which other church leaders do you need to visit in your church plant locality? 3. What’s your follow up process for new visitors?
Chapter 23 Supporting yourself
What are the pros and cons of secular employment while planting?
What would you do if you were full-time?
Chapter 24 Financial and legal
Come up with an outline for a giving sermon
What is your first year’s church planting budget?
If you are in a UK context, what are you doing about charitable status and trust deeds?
Appendix A
1. Come up with an outline for a New Testament Church Life sermon series
Appendix B
1. You will have worked through this when working on chapter 9
Comments