Leadership Team
Who are the leaders of High Impact Church Planting?
We all work in partnership with Rev. Mark Bane, Director of Evangelism Ministries & New Church Development for the USA/Canada Region of the Church of the Nazarene. Mark has delegated the leadership of the High Impact Church Planting to Dr. Larry McKain and a team of leaders who have a heart for this ministry.
How do both individuals and churches participate in leading the High Impact Church Planting initiative?
The way the Leadership Team currently operates is highly relational. “Qualifications” to join is fluid, and is based on both the heart for this work as well as an individual’s skills. Persons may be invited onto the Leadership Team at any time based on their leadership and ability to contribute.
STRATEGY
Do you suggest any kind of High Impact Church Planting development process?
Yes! We would suggest a development process, in partnership with both a Residency Church and a Partner District. One way could be the following 5 steps: 1) Recruitment, 2) Assessment, 3) Residency, 4) Church Action Plan and 5) Coaching. We have learned that the church planting process is healthier when it is developed and guided by high impact church practitioners.
What is the relationship between High Impact Church Planting and the USA/Canada Region of the Church of the Nazarene?
High Impact Church Planting is an initiative within the Church of the Nazarene, serving under the umbrella of the USA/Canada Nazarene Church Planting Task Force. Dr. Larry McKain helps facilitate this initiative and sits on the Task Force as the high impact church representative. We are grateful for the past encouragement of Dr. Bill Wiesman and the present encouragement of Rev. Mark Bane and Dr. Bob Broadbooks as we attempt to help resource Nazarene high impact church planting.
What is the relationship between High Impact Church Planting and DCPI?
We are excited to be a part of the DCPI church planting movement now at work in the USA/Canada Region. DCPI has trained and reached tens of thousands of leaders! Unlike DCPI, High Impact Church Planting has a very narrow focus to look for and develop a select group of 100 church leaders with high leadership capacity over the next 10 years. In everything we do, regardless of church size, we encourage multiplying leaders. EVERY kind of church is needed for different kinds of communities. It takes all kinds of churches using all kinds of models and methods to reach all kinds of people.
How does High Impact Church Planting aim to help as one of the “research and development” arms of the church?
We focus on capturing, cataloguing and communicating best practices for launching healthy large churches which are designed to begin large and grow large. There are numbers of churches throughout the USA/Canada Region who fit in this category. We aim to learn from both those outside and inside our denominational family. Every time we plant a new High Impact church, we aim to build on the learning of the past and share it with everyone with whom we work.
Who is High Impact Church Planting designed to serve?
Everyone in the USA/Canada Region of the Church of the Nazarene who desires to join in this learning process.
Do you focus on multi-site as well as large church launches?
Yes, we make no distinction in our work between a multi-site that a local church is multiplying and a large church launch that a local church does. Our focus is more on the health and "culture" of the plant/multi-site than it is on whether the church is organizationally still part of the mother church or has been sent out by her to be a daughter church.
Why will High Impact Church Planting succeed?
One of the reasons we will succeed is because of the extremely high “connection” we have already in existence between Partner Churches, Partner Districts, Residency Churches and the USA/Canada Region. We have a high commitment to allow Local Churches to lead in the church planting process, especially Residency churches. The role of Partner Districts is to provide the supportive culture these churches need to be more effective. The Church of the Nazarene has a multitude of forward-thinking leaders committed to multiply high impact churches all throughout the United States and Canada!
RECRUITMENT
How are High Impact Church Plant leaders recruited?
The way High Impact Church Planters are identified and the vision is shared with them, is as varied as the church is! We have a high commitment to maintain relationships with high-capacity younger leaders as they emerge, linking them with Residency Churches as soon as is feasible.
ASSESSMENT
How do you currently do Church Planter Assessments?
A High Impact Church Planter Assessment is a bit different than assessments done in other Assessment Centers. High Impact Planters are many times recruited, assessed, trained, resourced and coached a bit differently. We identify people we believe have high capacity leadership potential and invite them to begin a conversation with us. We send them through a series of interviews, as well as a battery of tests aimed to determine their high-capacity leadership capabilities. Our assessments are based on the 13 characteristics the High Impact Leadership Team and our Partner Districts look for in their selection of high impact church planting candidates.
When does networking begin and how does it work?
The networking part of our strategy begins before, during and at the conclusion of assessment. Church planting leaders are exposed to a whole body of knowledge about high-impact church development. They are networked with high-capacity Nazarene planters across the country. They are encouraged to interview planters, research websites, listen to podcasts and become immersed in better understanding how large church plants are developing nationwide. Networking is also done through participation in a Residency church.
Residencies
What do you mean when you talk about a Residency?
After a planter passes assessment, our next step is to “ramp them up” in their understanding of high capacity church planting. We believe the best way a Partner District can do this is to introduce the planter to a Residency. It is in Residency Churches located throughout the USA/Canada Region on Partner Districts that we help prepare high-capacity planters for launch. The Residency is where planters learn the step-by-step process of high-impact new church development. This is where they “taste” the culture of a high impact church. The Residency also introduces the planter to the “connection partnerships” that exist between Partner Churches, networked Partner Districts and coaches/mentors to help high-capacity planters develop a detailed Church Action Plan.
How long does the Residency last?
They are normally designed for 9-18 months, but may be adjusted to meet both the needs and experience of the individual planter working in partnership with the Residency Church.
How many Residency Churches currently exist in the USA/Canada Region?
Click here to see the current list of Residency Churches that exist within the USA/Canada Region. Our aim is always to maintain a focus on maintaining quality.
What is the estimated cost of a Residency?
The Residency can vary widely in cost, based upon the part of the country the Residency Church is located in and how long the planter serves.
Where does the money come from for a Residency?
Money can come from a variety of sources. For a listing of these potential sources to jumpstart your thinking, click here.
What is the long-term impact of multiplying Residency sites?
We encourage you to visit the 100 Large Churches page that highlights the impact in our Region if we keep multiplying Residency Churches. The long-term impact is phenomenal.
How does a congregation qualify to become a Residency church?
As our Development Team discussed this issue, we came to the conclusion that the most important qualifying characteristic is the culture of the local congregation and whether or not it has successfully developed a culture of leadership multiplication. This, along with the capability of the church to launch a High Impact Church Plant are the key ingredients.
COACHING
What is the role of a High Impact Church Planting coach?
Once a planter has “graduated” or completed the Residency program and is placed, we want them to continue receiving coaching and mentoring. The role of the coach is to provide on-going encouragement and accountability to the planter while they execute their action plan.
What is your understanding of coaching vs mentoring within our High Impact network?
In our High Impact Network, we make a distinction between the initial coaching the planter receives to launch the church and initially lead day-to-day operations. Coaching for the first 1-2 years is different than the on-going mentoring that comes later in the life of the church as the planter networks with other church leaders to implement healthy church systems.
Who is eligible to become a High Impact coach?
Any leader who has met the standards established by the High Impact Development Team.
Are High Impact coaches paid for their time or do they volunteer?
The answer is yes. As the ministry of High Impact Church Planting continues to expand, there may sometimes be an opportunity for nationally-qualified coaches who provide on-going training / resourcing to be paid a fee. Because we operate with a decentralized leadership philosophy, all of our current coaching is simply based on affinity relationships.
Is there any set curriculum for High Impact Church Planting like there is for DCPI?
There is no set curriculum for High Impact Planting. It is a network being built of residency churches. They learn from each other as well as many others. The website www.multiplynaz.church is mainly a network for inspiration and education of what God is doing among high impact churches in the Church of the Nazarene. Much can be learned just by studying websites of churches 250+ to see how these churches think, what they are currently doing to reach people, what makes them effective and what kind of unique culture they have created.
ACCOUNTABILITY
Who is a High Impact Church Planter accountable to?
When a Nazarene High Impact planter is assessed, completes the Residency and is placed in either a plant or a multi-site situation, by agreement they are committed to their local church, their District, the USA/Canada Region of the Church of the Nazarene and the High Impact Church Planting movement. These accountabilities are critical to every church’s long term success.
Do we ask participating planters to sign a contract or statement of understanding?
Yes, we encourage Local Churches and Districts to sign statements of understanding when they invest significant resources in any individual or church planting project.
What does the contract or statement of understanding include?
Commitment to the doctrine, polity and practices of the church, commitment to the church planting vision of the district / denomination, commitment to participate in the denominational support of the church, acknowledgement of the denominational equity invested in the church plant, commitment to our core values of relationships, reproducing, resources and residencies, etc.