Stage 1: The Church FOR the Community
A Launch Team for a new Church discerns and follows God’s leading into a specific Community where they begin to live the way the Disciples lived and love the way that Jesus loved – not as an event, but as a lifestyle. Stage 1 lasts 12 to 18 months before…
Stage 2: The Church IN the Community
The Launch Team holds its first public worship service in rented (or loaned) space, welcoming the People from the Community, most of whom they already know very well! The church moves almost immediately to…
Stage 3: The Church OF the Community
The People of the Community quickly become part of the Church Family, full participants in Worship, Discipleship, Service and Leadership. Again, the Church moves almost immediately to…
Stage 4: The Church BEYOND the Community
(which is simply the Church FOR another Community)
The Church sends out a new and different Launch Team to begin Stage 1 all over again in another, perhaps adjacent Community. The Launch Team continues to Worship with the mother church for the next 12 to 18 months, but its life and service are now located in the new Community. (The leaders of this new Launch Team would be praying and training back in Stage 1.)
