I found this article at INC. by Jon Morris (Jan 29, 2013). What can we learn from it as we think about starting new churches? Here is what we discover: 25% of new start-ups fail within the first year; 50% by the fourth year; and a whopping 75% ventured-backed start-ups failed. Here are 5 tips modified from Jon's list which may help us as we think about making disciples in 20-minute communities throughout Portland:
1. Pick the Right Industry. Well, since we picked the industry - church planting. How do we pick the specifics of how to position ourselves in an industry with other churches and church plants? I would start by picking the right Person for advice. Talk with God first. Then, obey Him. Don't try to get people to necessarily to follow what God spoke to you, help them hear from God. Pick the right neighborhood. Are you and the neighborhood a good fit? Will this neighborhood tribe eventually trust you enough to invite you in? Pick the right "model." Most church plants today follow a more Pauline model and structure. Perhaps in your neighborhood, you will need to pursue a model which reflect more of an Incarnational mode modeled by Jesus.
2. Scalable. Whatever model you choose, however God determines to lead you to make disciples in a neighborhood, is it scalable? By scalable I mean are you going to be able to make disciples who will become the new congregation in a way which can be sustainable from the start? Scalable requires you to leverage your influence, your trust, your relationships in ways which will allow you to acquire new disciples in a healthy and reasonable manner for your context. Perhaps, you find partners who will resource you for a long period of time. Perhaps, you work. Or, explore a combination of these roads to scalability. Just make sure you scale according and within reason or your organization will struggle. In Portland, it better be more artisan than "Fordist."
3. Build Credibility. If you are an outsider to a tribe or a community, you need time to build trust and credibility. The first disciple you make can establish your credibility within a particular tribe, family, network, or neighborhood. Also, look for platforms to create legitimacy as well. Establish relationships with key people of influence, continually praying for people of peace from within these key power brokers. Credibility takes time and with the right actions/attitudes you can progress within your context.
4. Be Incredibly Frugal. It will require sacrifice. You don't have to have the swanky office at first. You don't have to have the most elaborate meeting venue. Instead, invest your resources in the infrastructure which can lead to the making of more new disciples.
5. Be Vigilant About Gathering the Best Team. Church starting is no longer an individual sport. It is a team sport. Teams are built on TRUST. As a team, you need to trust one other. To find the best team, you first need to understand who you are as a disciple of Christ. You must work from your strengths and giftings and find team members who can work from their strengths/gifts to make the team the best it can possibly be to make new disciples. This means from the outset, you must have a leadership mechanism in place to take new Christians to leaders and multipliers of others. Disciple everyone to be servants but not everyone will become a missional community leader, or a deacon, or staff or an elder. Choose wisely and don't just try to fill spots.
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