CHURCH PLANTING STAGES
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Where do you sense God calling you?
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What people group do you sense God calling you to?
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What style of church would be most impactful?
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What church model would best accommodate your needs?
Church Styles
Church "Styles" describe the culture of the church gathering that may be best for the people you feel led to reach.
Below are some sample styles of churches. Hover over the images for descriptions and links to examples. These are just ideas meant to help you imagine how God is leading you.
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Table
A table church seeks to interact in the lives of others by fellowshipping with them, feeding them, and helping them become followers of Jesus Christ. Gathering times can take place around a table(s) with discussion and fellowship. Click the link for an example of a table church.
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Sports
Basketball, soccer, golf, pickleball, etc…- A sports church is designed around sports teams and leagues. People can gather to play a sport with designated times for worship, discipleship, and outreach. Click the link for an example of a sports church.
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Board Game
A board game church is based around the thrill of playing games. It can gather in a home or community center. Times of worship, discipleship, and outreach can take place in traditional or organic ways. Click the link for ideas about board games and church.
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Compassion
A compassion church reaches out to the community with a strong compassionate outreach as a means for making disciples. The church can provide necessities like food or clothing as well as lead in times of worship and discipleship. Click the link for an example of a compassion church.
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Coffee
A church can meet in a coffee shop or home and use coffee or tea as a means of making disciples. This church can create an informal format that generates dialogue that still can incorporate times of worship and intentional discipleship. Click the link for an example of a coffee church.
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Gaming
A gaming church can meet virtually or in person. It can appeal to a variety of gamers and include a variety of platforms for discipleship and outreach. Click the link for an example of a gaming church.
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Recovery
A recovery church can target those who are recovering from an addiction and their families. Similar to a support group, a recovery church can include times of sharing, encouragement, and accountability but also times of worship and outreach. Click the link for an example of a recovery church.
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Seniors
A church can meet in a retirement community to offer worship services and discipleship. Click the link for ideas for assisted living churches.
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Biker
A church can appeal to bikers. It can meet in a variety of settings and incorporate worship, discipleship, and outreach in a way that best fits their congregation. Click the link for an example of a biker church.
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Martial Arts / Fitness
A fitness church can meet in a gym or any open area and appeal to anyone who desires to move and live well. A church can help people train physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Click the link for more information about faith and fitness.
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Art
An arts and crafts church can focus on the use of God-given artistic and creative talents. A church can create, worship, and disciple all at the same time. Click the link for a sample craft ministry.
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Cinema
A cinema or movie church seeks to either gather in a movie theatre or meet in another facility but use movies as the platform of discussion by watching full movies or movie clips to discuss the word of God. Click the link for a review of a church meeting in a movie theatre.
Church Models
Church “Model” refers to the structure the church plant could possibly take. Below are some sample models. A church could possibly be a hybrid of a couple different models.
The Church “Type” is different from the church “Model.” For example, a Table Church (type) could use a House Church Model meeting in one home, or a Table Church (type) could use an Organic Model that moves from place to place.
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Traditional
A new church that intends to operate in the manner that most Americans still identify with as a church.
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High Impact
Churches that strategically plan to start and/or reach 200 plus from the launch day on.
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Multi-Site / Campus
A specific church congregation which holds services at multiple geographical locations, either within a specific metropolitan area or, increasingly, several such areas.
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Micro
An intentionally simple, streamlined approach to church that is often small, volunteer led, and informal in style.
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House
An intentionally simple, streamlined approach to church that is often small, volunteer led, and informal in style.
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Organic
Churches that meet in a house, coffee shop, business break room, park or in a nursing home and seek to reproduce other churches in a geographic area.
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Church within a Church
A church that operates different styles of worship services, including multi-cultural/language churches, in the same building.
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Interwoven
A church that operates similar to a traditional church with an unorthodox service style with music and creative worship interwoven with scripture reading and sharing.