Proposal for
Introduction
LifePoint Church is a place where people are encouraged and equipped to do life together in community toward a growing relationship with Christ. The church is based on John 15, a beautiful parable of the vines and the branches reveals that a life in Christ is found in love, contentment and sustainment (see Appendix I). Life happens in the vine. At LifePoint Church, we believe that true community in Christ is found in small groups called LifeGroups. We believe that the vine is found by modeling the disciples who followed Christ and the early church. Our mission is simple, to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ through love.
Our vision is simple, “To accomplish the mission, we will encourage and equip people within community to grow closer to God and each other and then to leveraging their influence with outsiders to draw them in by sharing the love of Christ.” We believe all of this is best accomplished in LifeGroups.
We live in a “show-me” culture and we believe that showing the love of Jesus Christ is more effective than just saying it. To that end, LifePoint Church endeavors to show the love of Christ to the community through outreach and through a culture of acceptance and understanding. We believe our job is not to change the hearts of the people but to create relevant environments where the Holy Spirit is free to make the changes in the hearts of people. For our part, we believe that we can create environments where people can interact in relevant ways with the Word of God made real through the love of Jesus Christ by the empowering Holy Spirit who then changes hearts and minds. This is LifeChange the ultimate goal of LifePoint Church.
Core Values
The core values of LifePoint Church are:
1. Biblical Authority-The believe that God’s Word is ultimate truth
2. Relationship-We grow in intimacy with God and each other
3. Community-We live life together by personally investing ourselves and by speaking life into others by representing Christ in all that we do.
4. Relational Evangelism-We share the joy of Christ by spreading His love to others
5. Service-We exist to use our time, talents and treasure to serve others
6. Discipleship-We grow by helping to make disciples who make disciples
7. Humility-We remain thankful to God for allowing us to serve in His ministry and will remain grateful for His favor.
Biblical Authority
· We believe that the Bible is God’s inerrant Word and it is the foundation in everything that we do. We do not expect everyone to understand or to agree with the Bible but we do expect for others to be open and honest about wanting to learn more.
· 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (NIV)
· Are our decisions and plans consistent with Scripture?
Relationship
· We believe that intimacy with God is linked with how we treat each other. Our actions and motivations lead us into growing relationships with those around us and through our selfless giving we become more like Christ and grow closer to God.
· Matthew 23:37-40 “Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (NIV)
· In what ways are we forming more intimate relationships?
Community
· We connect with others by personally investing in their lives. When we connect with others we invite them to join us on our faith journey.
· Philippians 2:3-4 “Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
· Hebrews 10: 24-25 “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (NIV)
· Are people personally investing into the lives of others? Do small groups promote a sense of community?
Relational Evangelism
· We believe that Christianity is contagious and our Savior is irresistible. When we form relationships with others we demonstrate the love of Christ and have the opportunity to share him through our words and deeds. To invest ourselves in others so that they may understand the good news.
· Acts 8:30-31 “Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.” (NIV)
· What are we doing to invest ourselves in others to share with them the good news?
Service
· We believe that service is an investment. We will invest our time, talent and treasure for God by serving others both inside and outside of the church.
· John 13:14-15 “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” (NIV)
· In what ways are we serving others?
Discipleship
· We believe that disciples make disciples. God has given us the awesome opportunity to grow by allowing others to speak into our lives and as a result we help others grow by investing ourselves into the lives of others.
· Matthew 28:19a “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” (NIV)
· Are people being equipped so that they may equip others?
Humility
· We declare our dependence upon Almighty God and recognize that everything that we do is for His glory. Never let us forget to be grateful for His continued blessings upon us.
· Luke 17:15-19 “One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” (NIV)
· Are we daily thanking God for what He has done and declaring our utter dependence upon Him for everything?
Ministry
Mission
LifePoint Church is a community of devoted followers that are constantly pursing deeper intimacy with God.
Vision
LifePoint Church is a community of devoted followers that are constantly pursing deeper intimacy with God by declaring our complete dependence upon God, showing our gratefulness to Him by personally investing in others and inviting them to join us on our faith journey.
Demographic Study of Alexandria, Kentucky[1]
Alexandria, Kentucky is defined as a suburb community in Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati, Ohio. The demographics show that the average age within ten (10) miles of the city is thirty-five (35) years. Demographics also show a projected increase in the population of the area. The population range from less than five (<5) through sixty-five (65) years of age shows the diversity of the community. While LifePoint church is an all-inclusive church, desiring to draw in the community at large, the target demographics for the worship styles and programs appeal to the younger generations (Preschool through fifty-five (55) years of age). The population density of Alexandria is greatest in the range of twenty-five (25) through fifty-five (55) years of age showing an increase in population in this range and the beginning of a steep decline following fifty-five (55) years of age, particularly from sixty-five (65) onward.
Socioeconomic Study
The area of Alexandria is predominated with people who live at a quality of life that is below to significantly above the poverty line. The diversity of socio-economic levels is a perfect fit for the vision of LifePoint and is vital to bridge the gap for the needs of the community. It is through our outreach and support efforts in the community that we believe the unsaved and dechurched in the community will be connected/reconnected with Jesus Christ and form/reform a growing relationship with Him. The outreach component of LifePoint will appeal to the average person in Alexandria and the family atmosphere created within LifePoint will foster growth in the community. It is expected that the number of those engaged into a growing relationship with Christ through the work of LifePoint will be priceless. The demographics support the model of LifePoint in reaching those far from God and inviting them into a growing relationship with Christ.
Cultural Impact Study
The area is by a far majority Caucasian. The area is a technological/manufacturing area with a significant portion of the people with College Degrees. The LifePoint structure facilitates the needs of the community through a “show-me” approach to outreach rather than a “tell me” approach. LifePoint with a diverse worship style, discipleship, youth ministries and community outreach will be more likely to draw the community into attending and connecting.
The community of Alexandria is made of a population that is predominately married. Within the married couples, the families without children are slightly more numerous than the families with children. A small percentage is single parent or “other”. LifePoint tends to offer a variety of options for both groups. LifePoint offers an aggressive youth ministry including preschool, early youth, late youth and teen programs. The youth and teen programs incorporate small groups, individual worship services, and community service and community wide activities. The range at LifePoint activities draw in the married couples, while the adult opportunities including worship, community activities, community service, and small groups foster the needs of married parents, married couples and single parents. Several groups are dedicated to support and programs range from marriage classes to divorce support, to cancer survivor and care giver support groups. A drug and alcohol rehabilitation is also planned as a support role of LifePoint. “One of the surprising insights from our research is that the growing hostility toward Christians is very much a reflection of what outsider’s feel they receive from believers… it is clear that Christians are primarily perceived for what they stand against. We have become famous for what we oppose rather than who we are for.”[2]
In 2004, the Barna Group performed a study on behalf of the Kentucky Baptist Convention looking at the unchurched in the Northern Kentucky Region. Particularly, they looked at the spiritual journeys and commitments, the demographics and psychographic profile, the perception and images the unchurched possess about Christianity, churches and churchgoers, a look at the types of churches they would prefer to attend, the religious beliefs and views of the Bible, the differences between the four regions of Kentucky and then they listed some recommendations based on this study.[3] The study was based on “1,204 telephone interviews among unchurched, nominally churched, and churched adults (included for comparison purposes).”[4]
The study highlighted some very important and relevant points. First, “overall, 32% of Kentucky’s population is unchurched-that is, has not been to a non-holiday worship service in a church for at least six months. This represents nearly 1 million Kentuckians. Most of Kentucky’s unchurched (81%) are dechurched.”[5] Also, “650,000 adults are nominally churched – meaning they are not committed to their current church. Nearly 1 in 2 Kentucky residents are not born again (45%).”[6] Most of the unchurched were Busters (21-39) and singles. “The younger the person the less likely he or she is to have any previous experience in church. Among Kentucky’s unchurched Busters, 25% have never attended church, compared to just 11% of Bloomers and 7% of Builders. This illustrates that there has been a slow and steady decline in church participation with each passing generation.”[7]
The church is on the decline, each generation the problem worsens and the church seems to have lost relevance. “In all, half of all unchurched people avoid going to churches because the church provides no real spiritual or practical relevance to their lives.”[8] Cultural relevance must be found within the churches lest another generation go and more people do not know Christ. “The least likely to visit a church included Busters, college graduates, high-income households, those without a personal commitment to Christ, those with an unfavorable view of churches, and those who were churched before, but not in the last five years.”[9] However, “only 9% said their impressions of local Christian churches were negative…but they were much more likely to perceive Christianity favorably than to think positively about churches.”[10]
In the Northern Kentucky Region, Barna found that in this region were ex-Baptist (35%), ex-Christian churches (17%) or ex-Catholic (12%).[11] This region was least likely to describe themselves as spiritual, less likely to read the bible, more educated, more financially well off, less interested in a church focused on evangelism and more interested in teaching what the means (29%) and serving the needy (21%).[12] “North Central’s unchurched showed below-average interest in attending a worship service, though this still qualifies as the most common identified entry point for this region (43%). Also, these residents tended to prefer the label “inquirer” compared to residents of other regions.”[13] NC residents were more likely to believe that Satan was symbolic (68%) and think that they can live a satisfying life without spiritual development and maturity (53%).[14] “The unchurched in this region were also less likely than were other regions to believe that people must accept Jesus Christ to be saved from Hell (41%).”[15]
This sentiment is echoed “In fact the title of this book, Unchristian, reflects outsiders most common reaction to the faith: they think Christians no longer represent what Jesus had in mind, that Christianity in our society is not what it was meant to be.”[16]
Based on the data, an optimal church would be a congregation of less than 100 people, playing traditional hymns in a traditional style with everyone participating, including children, in the service with sermons that addressed concerns people face in their lives.[17] However, when we look at primarily singles and Busters we see a different picture. They prefer larger churches with contemporary music and worship leader with an informal setting and active participation by the attendees with sermons that deal with life issues.[18] “Each reality is important to young adults, that many consider it just one element of a successful eclectic life. Fewer than one out of ten young adults mentioned faith as their top priority, despite the fact that the vast majority of Busters and Mosaics attend a Christian church during their High School years.”[19]
The model of LifePoint will then be the latter church trying to reach the demographic of the singles and the Busters which comprise the latest generation of unchurched in Kentucky. A church that is relevant to them, yet uncompromising on the Gospel message.
Therefore, based on the demographics and models:
1. LifePoint will exist to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ through love. When people are exposed to a positive encounter with God through intervention, the life of Christians or the Church, then they are drawn toward Him. The culture of LifePoint will be to foster positive environments where people and ultimately the community are constantly and consistently moved closer to God.
2. The mission will be accomplished through LifePoint by:
a. Developing a sense of community.
b. Offering safe environments where unchurched and dechurched people in the community will return because of the sense of family and belonging fostered throughout the culture of LifePoint.
c. Moving people from entry environments (worship and community events) to connecting steps where the people start forming relationships with other people.
d. The ultimate destination and the target of the plan is to move people into small group environments where deep committed relationships develop facilitated by trained small group leaders. It is within these small groups that discipleship, evangelism and a drawing closeness to God is experienced. Taken from the model of the early church in the book of Acts, the small group environment is the heart of LifePoint.
e. The small group environment will also be the first line support structure for the church with specialized support groups to help those with special needs. The leaders will be trained in effective, biblical support roles by facilitating discussion and a sense of support among those sharing in the specialized needs of the group. The small groups will be the principal support for members within the church by providing prayer support, visitation, accountability, fellowship and discipleship to other members of the group.
f. The small groups will be the main outreach thrust of LifePoint. Each small group leader will be asked to direct a community service at least each quarter. Further, small groups will take turns reaching out to the community by making contact with people in the community who have had a life changing or momentous event (birth, death, birthday or wedding) primarily by responding to the announcement found within the local newspaper.
Ministry Conclusions
The goal of LifePoint is to lead those who are far from Christ into a growing relationship with Him. This is accomplished by partnering with the Holy Spirit by creating relevant environments where people are pursing closer relationships with God, each other and the community is drawn into LifePoint by the people demonstrating the love of Christ through their lives. Every step and program offered by LifePoint will move people into these pursuits. The people will also be discipled and equipped to show this lifestyle daily through their lives. Positive change in the community begins with a small number and grows. The best example is the ministry of Jesus Christ, who took twelve ordinary men and by demonstrating His love changed the world. That same Jesus is still Lord today and still changes lives, communities and the world through the work of believers who have a passion for Him. LifePoint is the demonstration of the Great Commission, modeling the early church and basing all of the principles and values on the ministry of Jesus Christ. God’s church built on the rock of Jesus Christ using these principals can not only change lives but through the work of the Holy Spirit draw and attract those far from God into the church. We believe LifePoint to be such a place.
Replication
LifePoint believes in replicating itself within the body and across the community. Replication is found throughout the model. From the Pastor to the Small Group Leader, each person is responsible for finding an assistant, training them and apprenticing them to replace themselves. LifePoint believes the best leader is someone who recruits and replaces themselves. All positions are replicated. This makes recruiting leaders extremely easy. When a small group breaks up to form two (2) new small groups, the assistant small group leader takes over a new group or the existing small group leader can go back to a participant status to recharge. Because every position is reproduced, church planting is also extremely easy. Either the primary or assistant of each position can travel to the church plant and start the plant with trained, qualified leaders who will recruit and find others to train as assistants. Upon completion of training and apprenticeship the new leaders can assume their leadership role within the church plant and the planting team can then either returns to their home community or stay or help the new plant. Replication is easy, essential, strategic, and can be found within all ministries of LifePoint.
Church Model Comparison
In his book, “Church is a Team Sport”, author Jim Putnam describes a model that is very similar to LifePoint Church. His church, Real Life Ministries in Post Falls, ID, is small group focused with all ministries of the church pointing to small groups. In his book he has an effective outreach strategy called “Bridges” that allows people to come to interest groups that provide ways to capitalize on subject interest to start forming relationships and introduce people in safe, relevant ways to the church community. The following excerpt is an example from the book:
Let's use the example of an elk-calling seminar sponsored by our Sports and Outdoors Ministry. We ask men and women in our church to invite their non-Christian friends who are interested in hunting to a dinner. We also advertise the event in all the hunting stores in the area. At the dinner we have a speaker who is well known in his hunting specialty. This famous hunter is a Christian, who shares hunting tips and then gives his testimony. At the end of the event we invite the men to come to the monthly men's breakfast. From there they are invited to a small group that meets weekly for breakfast in a local restaurant. In our church every road eventually leads to a small group where real discipleship can happen.[20]
It is this model that we will try to reproduce in LifePoint Church by forming relevant meaningful relationships with people. In our strategy, people from the church with similar interests will be seeded in the group. We will train the seeds to engage new attendees and begin the process of forming relationships. The new attendee will then be asked to attend a secondary function with the seed. At the secondary function, the new attendee will then be asked to come “check-out” a small group with the seed. The new attendee and the seed have sit together for two engagements and now have started attending a weekly morning seeker small group. As the relationship continues to grow, the new attendee will be asked to come to church with the seed and sit with his family. The hope is that as relationship forms, the new attendee will be drawn by the Holy Spirit and at some point will be led by the seed to Christ. It is at this point, when the new Christian is ready, that the seed will baptize the new Christian and continue the discipling process. The ultimate destination is for the new Christian to start the process as a seed himself at a similar function thus the disciple makes a disciple that learns to make disciples.
Pastor Andy Stanley of North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, GA, describes the model of his church on a DVD called “From Foyer to Kitchen: The North Point Strategy.” In this DVD, three relevant environments are created at North Point. They are the Foyer, the Living Room and the Kitchen.
Pastor Stanley says that the Foyer is an open environment where we expect guests, we behave differently and it is a place where guests feel welcome. They have programs that are geared toward this environment that are both welcoming and safe. The Living Room is an environment that is a targeted environment. It is a place to connect and make friends and is a transition from Foyer to the Kitchen. This is a strategic environment meant to help people make connections. Finally, the Kitchen is the small group environment, where life happens. The Kitchen is a closed environment and it is the ultimate destination for the people to become engaged into small groups. Just as in Real Life Ministries, North Point church is small group centered and all roads lead to small groups.[21]
At LifePoint Church, we will use in conjunction with Real Life Ministries’ model for “Bridging”, we will also draw upon North Point’s strategy for moving people from open environments through targeted connecting environments through the church. Our model is in agreement in part with these two church’s models. According to Outreach Top 100 Churches in 2011, North Point Church is the second largest church in America with over 27,000 in weekly attendance.[22] And according to the Spokesman Review in 2007, Real Life Ministries has exhibited a 247% growth yearly for the past 4 years. As of 2007, the church drew over 12,000 attendees and has over 600 small groups in operation and is one of the fastest growing churches in America.[23] We believe that these models produce results that can be reproduced at LifePoint in the Cincinnati Area.
Small Groups
Since small groups are the focus of the church, an examination of the various small group models was undertaken to determine what model best fit with the vision of LifePoint Church. The following small group models were the final candidates:
Small Group Model
|
Description
|
Advantage
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Disadvantage
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Open Group
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Open Groups always have space available for visitors and new members. When a specified number is reached a new group is birthed.
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1. Outreach friendly
2. Evangelism focused
3. Greater flexibility
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1. Limit potential for deep intimacy
2. Overgrowth can damage the closeness
3. Does not inspire commitment
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Closed Group
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Closed Groups limit the number of participants and do not accept more for a specific period of time.
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1. High expectations of discipleship and growth
2. Deeper levels of trust
3. High level of commitment
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1. Seeker unfriendly
2. Tends to become inward focused
3. Little flexibility
|
Cell Group
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Cell Groups view small groups as the basic unit of the Church with four parts: worship, edification, relational evangelism and discipleship.
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1. Intentional about creating disciples
2. Practical and effective way to build a culture of discipleship
3. Focus on Relational Evangelism
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1. Elevates small group importance above other ministries
2. Lacks flexibility
3. Emphasis on evangelism and numeric growth can limit the level of trust and intimacy
|
The North Point Community Church uses a closed group model and the Real Life Ministries model uses open groups. However, LifePoint will use a combination of the two called a Cell Group. In a cell group, the basic units of the church are introduced. We believe that small groups are the heart of the church. In a thesis written for Fuller University, Joel Comiskey defines Cell Groups as
Small groups of people (between 5-15) which are intimately linked to the life of the church (Acts 2:46). These groups meet for the purpose of spiritual edification which overflows in the form of evangelistic outreach. Those in the cell groups are committed to participate in the functions of the local church and when new people outside the church are added to the group, they too are encouraged to become responsible, baptized members of Christ’s body. [25]
At LifePoint, we will use this definition of the Cell Model for small groups because it is intentional for creating disciples. Small groups is the main focus for our church and just like North Point Church, we believe that “Life happens in the Kitchen.”[26] During the North Point video, Pastor Stanley commented that “We need more relevant environments not churches.”[27] However, in our culture where generations are being lost for the cause of Christ, we believe that there is a desperate need for new relevant churches to create these environments to reach those far from Christ. This great need is echoed by Rosario Ricardo, a church planter of Embrace Church in Lexington, Kentucky who says that “young adults who…are “tired of playing church and wanting to actually roll up their sleeves.” [28]
Conclusions
LifePoint will be a beacon in the night for a world far from its Creator, a Holy God. Whenever you stand at the LifePoint, facing the toughest challenges of your life, Jesus stands there to help you through and LifePoint stands to partner with the Holy Spirit to support you during these times in your life. LifePoint is God’s church, for God’s creation, showing God’s love to those far from Him.
Statement of Beliefs
Scriptures
We believe the entire Bible is the inspired Word of God and that men were moved by the Spirit of God to write the very words of Scripture. Therefore, we believe the Bible is without error.
God
We believe in one God who exists in three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that Jesus Christ is the second member of the Trinity (the Son of God) who became flesh to reveal God to humanity and to become the Savior of the lost world.
Humanity
We believe that all people were created in the image of God to have fellowship with Him but became alienated in that relationship through sinful disobedience. As a result, people are incapable of regaining a right relationship with God through their own efforts.
Salvation
We believe that the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross, provides the sole basis for the forgiveness of sin. Therefore, God freely offers salvation to those who place their faith in the death and resurrection of Christ as sufficient payment for their sin.
The Christian life
We believe all Christians should live for Christ and not for themselves. By obedience to the Word of God and daily yielding to the Spirit of God, every believer should mature and be conformed to the image of Christ.
The Church
We believe that the church is the body of Christ, of which Jesus Christ is the head. The members of the church are those who have trusted by faith the finished work of Christ. The purpose of the church is to glorify God by loving him and by making him known to the lost world.
Goals
For the establishment of goals the following definitions are used:
· Sustained Membership is members who attend LifePoint fifty percent (50%) of the time in a quarter.
· Retention is measured as a first (1st) time attendee returning a second (2nd) time and a second (2nd) time attendee returning a third (3rd) time within a calendar year.
· The community is defined as the households found within a radius of five (5) miles from the church extending in a circle around the church for a diameter of ten (10) miles.
· Percentage of the community reached will be based on geographic area reached.
Short Term Goals (1-3 Years)
· Establish and Launch LifePoint
· Sustained membership of two hundred (200) to five hundred (500) people
· Significant conversion and baptisms within the community greater than one-hundred and fifty (150).
· Retention of first (1st) and second (2nd) time attendees of greater than fifty percent (>50%).
· Small groups are established.
· Leaders are fully trained.
· Fifty percent (50%) of the community reached through outreach programs and prayer walking.
· Fifty percent (50%) of regular attendees are engaged in small groups.
Mid Term Goals (3-4 Years)
· Sustained membership of five hundred (500) to eight hundred (800) people.
· Retention of regular attendees greater than seventy five percent (>75%).
· Sustained small group’s participation in quarterly community outreach.
· One hundred percent (100%) of the community reached through outreach programs.
· Full training of second (2nd) set of leaders in all positions.
· LifePoint is covenanted and recognized as an independent church.
· LifePoint is recognized and partnered within an Association.
· Seventy five percent (75%) of regular attendees are engaged in small groups.
Long Term Goals (5-6 Years)
· Sustained membership of eight hundred and fifty (800) to twelve hundred (1200) people.
· Retention of regular attendees greater than seventy five percent (>75%).
· The community continued reached through outreach programs.
· Seventy five percent (75%) of regular attendees are engaged in small groups.
Extended Goals (7-10 Years)
· Sustained membership of greater than twelve hundred (>1200) people.
· Retention of regular attendees greater than seventy five percent (>75%).
· Multiplication of the church to satellite locations to areas outside of the Alexandria demographic area.
· Continued community outreach programs.
· Seventy five percent (75%) of regular attendees are engaged in small groups.
Timeline for Launch of Church Worship Experience
Mile marker 1-Months 1-3
ÿ Pray!
ÿ Begin small group meetings
ÿ Meet with Associational Director of Missions
ÿ Covenant with Church Partners
ÿ Establish Checking and Savings Account
ÿ Register with Secretary of State of Kentucky
ÿ Register with Federal IRS
ÿ Incorporate
ÿ Develop and Covenant By-laws
ÿ Develop and Covenant Constitution
ÿ Obtain liability insurance
ÿ Begin collecting Tithes and Offering
ÿ Begin giving to Cooperative Program and Association
ÿ Define Location based on demographics and vote of core members
ÿ Expand core group to fifteen (15) members who are covenanted together for the new work
ÿ Train Small Group Leaders to begin leading small groups
ÿ Plan first community service program
ÿ Intercessory prayer team to fifty (50) members
Mile marker 2-Months 3-6
ÿ Pray! Pray! Pray!
ÿ Small groups separate and begin meeting in homes
ÿ Begin search for permanent building
ÿ Grow core group to thirty (30) members who are covenanted together for the new work
ÿ Print T-shirts and service cards
ÿ Implement first community service program
ÿ Re-evaluate timeline and refine strategic plan
Mile marker 3-Months 6-12
ÿ Keep Praying!
ÿ Begin negotiations for rental of building
ÿ Small groups continue, grow and replicate
ÿ Grow core group to forty (40) members who are covenanted together for the new work
ÿ Begin team leader training
ÿ Begin plan for second (2nd) community outreach project
ÿ Begin planning for building renovation and appropriate funds
ÿ Worship bands begin practice
ÿ Finalize six (6) month sermon outline and deliver to team leaders
ÿ Order sermon backdrops
Mile marker 4-One Year
ÿ Pray some more!
ÿ Begin plans for Launch Celebration
ÿ Grow core group to sixty (60) members who are covenanted together for the new work
ÿ Form Teams
ÿ Begin team training
ÿ Implement second (2nd) community outreach project
ÿ Begin promotional planning for launch
Mile marker 5-Fifteen Months
ÿ Don’t Stop Praying!
ÿ Begin meeting in building
ÿ Setup Audio/Visual Equipment
ÿ Review service power points
ÿ Hold starter runs of service
ÿ Grow core group to seventy (70) members who are covenanted together for the new work
ÿ Implement promotional planning for launch
ÿ Finalize decorations for launch
Launch-Eighteen Months
ÿ Launch with whole day songfest, cookout, preaching celebration. Dedication service on launch
ÿ Have first service with Communion
ÿ Contact all attendees and thank them personally for attending
What does LifePoint look like when it is established?
LifePoint will be God’s church in Alexandria. LifePoint is a place where compassion, patience, kindness and the love of Christ reigns supreme. Ever before the congregation the vision of what a church not only could be but should be is a constant reminder of the love of Christ embodied within the heart of every believer.
Arrival
From the time that the first car enters the parking lot until the last car leaves the needs of every person is treated with paramount concern. With umbrellas, valets and ushers greeting members in the parking lot to the greeters and coffee shop within the entry of the church meeting the needs of the attendees to the orientation and fellowship team meeting the needs of the attendees within the church. Every aspect of service is covered.
Preschool
Within separate parts of LifePoint is a preschool service, where children are taught that there is a God and He loves them.
Early Youth
The early youth service revolves around living the stories of the Bible. Here you can find children making their own animal costumes and acting out the story of Noah’s ark with the adult leaders who are dressed as Noah and Mrs. Noah. The finale of each story that the children learn will be acted out for the families of the children during a joint show for both the parents and the children. The study of God’s Word for these young children will be engaging and interactive promoting understanding and learning. For parents, the vibrant and engaging time of worship for their children will be a huge draw of the community to the church.
Older Youth
For the older youth, there will be a transition time from early youth to teens. It is here that they begin to learn how to study their Bible in a fun and engaging way. Small groups begin with this group and during these formative years the children form lasting bonds with others. During this time of self-awareness and identity, the study of God’s Word and worship will consist of relevant contemporary music, skits, study time and community involvement.
Teen
The Sunday evening service will consist of a Teen worship time. Teens with their fierce independence will appreciate the service held at their own time.
LifeGroup Childcare
Twice weekly, the small groups that may require childcare will have an opportunity with an open daycare provided at the church.
Adult
The last morning worship service is the adult service which will consist of a praise band playing a blended service consisting of Contemporary Christian and Traditional Hymns (played with a current flair). The sermons will be relevant to life, focusing on the vision and inspired by the Holy Spirit. The sermons will focus on how to deal with life issues and will be presented in a way that is safe for the unbeliever but also nourishing for the believer.
Outreach
The small groups will routinely embark into the community. With an average attendance of two hundred (200) for example means that at least eight hundred (800) will be reached if each person only does an outreach for one person per trip. It is expected that each person will reach at least five people per outreach. Potentially, four thousand (4,000) people can be reached in the community per year. LifePoint will also partner with faith based groups to provide accountability and rehabilitation efforts as a step down from rehabilitation facilities.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
The Barna Group, LTD. Growing Kentucky’s Churches from the Outside In. Louisville: Kentucky Baptist Convention, 2004.
Comiskey, Joel. “Cell Group Design and Evangelism/Church Growth.” PhD diss., Fuller Theological Seminary, 1996.
Demographic Reports and Mapping Tool. Demographic and Income Profile. Esri Business Analyst. http://www.esri.com/ba. (accessed 4/3/2011).
Jacobs, Mary. Seeds in the city-Urban church planters rely on innovation, mission. United Methodist Recorder. http://umportal.org/article.asp?id=8120. (accessed 9/8/2011).
Interactive Summary Chart. “Interactive Summary Chart”. Christianity Today International. http://www.smallgroups.com/start/models/ (accessed October 10, 2011).
Kimmaman, David and Lyons, Gabe. Unchristian: What a new generation thinks about Christianity and why it matters. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2007.
de Leon, Virginia. How to grow a congregation: ‘It’s a God thing’. Spokesman Review. http://www.spokesmanreview.com/breaking/story.asp?ID=10334. (accessed 10/11/2004).
Outreach Magazine. Outreach 100: Behind the Numbers. Outreach, Inc. http://www.outreachmagazine.com/features/4328-Outreach-100-Behind-the-Numbers.html. (accessed 10/11/2011).
Putman, Jim. Church Is a Team Sport: A Championship Strategy for Doing Ministry Together. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2008.
Stanley, Andy. From Foyer to Kitchen: The North Point Strategy. DVD. Alpharetta, GA: North Point Resources, 2005.
Appendix I: Biblical Foundation for the Church Vision
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other. (John 15:1-17 NIV)
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[1] All data used in production of charts and graphs for the demographic study was obtained from the Demographic Reports and Mapping Tool, “Demographic and Income Profile,” Esri Business Analyst, http://www.esri.com/ba (accessed 4/3/2011). See Appendix II for original profile report.
[2] David Kimmaman and Gabe Lyons, Unchristian: What a new generation thinks about Christianity and why it matters (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2007), 26.
[3] The Barna Group, LTD, “Growing Kentucky’s Churches from the Outside In” (Louisville: Kentucky Baptist Convention, 2004),1.
[4] Ibid., 2.
[5] Ibid., 5.
[6] Ibid., 12.
[7] Ibid., 8.
[8] Ibid., 8.
[9] Ibid., 14.
[10] Ibid., 20.
[11] Ibid., 43.
[12] Ibid., 43.
[13] Ibid., 43.
[14] Ibid., 43.
[15] Ibid., 43.
[16] Kimmaman and Lyons, 15.
[17]The Barna Group, 27-28.
[18] Ibid., 30.
[19] Kimmaman and Lyons, 23.
[20] Jim Putman, Church Is a Team Sport: A Championship Strategy for Doing Ministry Together (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2008), 110.
[21] Andy Stanley, From Foyer to Kitchen: The North Point Strategy, DVD, Alpharetta, GA: North Point Resources, 2005.
[22] Outreach Magazine, “Outreach 100: Behind the Numbers”, Outreach, Inc., http://www.outreachmagazine.com/features/4328-Outreach-100-Behind-the-Numbers.html, (accessed 10/11/2011).
[23] Virginia de Leon, “How to grow a congregation: ‘It’s a God thing’”, Spokesman Review, http://www.spokesmanreview.com/breaking/story.asp?ID=10334, (accessed 10/11/2004).
[24]Interactive Summary Chart, “Interactive Summary Chart”, Christianity Today International http://www.smallgroups.com/start/models/, (accessed October 10, 2011).
[25] Joel Comiskey, “Cell Group Design and Evangelism/Church Growth” (PhD diss., Fuller Theological Seminary, 1996), 8.
[26] Stanley.
[27] Ibid.
[28] Mary Jacobs, “Seeds in the city-Urban church planters rely on innovation, mission”, United Methodist Reporter, http://umportal.org/article.asp?id=8120 (accessed 9/8/2011).
