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New Church
The church plant is accepted at a District Conference by the District delegates as a new EFC and becomes a "New Church."
A congregation is considered a new church for the first five years of its existence in active ministry. It typically takes about five years to work through the stages of growth and to develop a healthy infrastructure.
Install Pastor
Pastor selected
After the search team creates a profile of the church and the kind of pastor desired, they will seek potential candidate resumes in cooperation with the Central District staff; check references and do interviews; listen to sermon tapes; do face to face interviews. They will also work with the Leadership Team to create a pastoral financial package, determine the criteria for calling a pastor and make plans for a potential pastor to candidate.
The candidate and his family will visit for a weekend and the congregation will have opportunities to meet and speak with them. Then a meeting will be called and the congregation may vote for or against calling the Pastor. If the candidate is not approved by the congregation, the search team will re-evaluate and call another candidate.
Once the Pastor is called by the congregation, he will move to the community and begin his ministry.
Office space secured
Leadership will form a committee to find equipment and office space for the church office. It should have enough room for the Pastor and a secretary. It may not be in the same building where you hold services. Other churches have found office space in apartments and office buildings. It is not recommended that the Pastor have the church office in his home. It would eliminate privacy for the Pastor and his family. (The Pastor could also have difficulty dividing his time between work and home because of erratic schedules with evening meetings.)
New Church Business
Apply for Central District membership
At the conclusion of the Planting stage and prior to the Central District Annual Conference, the Church Planting Missionary (CPM) must make application to the Planting Board for the church to become a member church of the Central District. The approved application is forwarded to the Central District Board of Directors for recommendation to the annual conference.
Goals & Objectives
The Pastor and Church Leadership should examine and update the vision statements and goals each year. The initial vision may be to plant a Biblically-based church in the community. It is essential to the growth of the church to set new vision for ministry because a church that sees itself as “done” will lose its sense of purpose and will become settled and content. The tendency is to cease to minister beyond the membership and the church loses momentum and dies.
Expand Missions support
Financial Support of the Central District and the EFCA will be encouraged. The Central District will encourage the church missions committee to “see” needs beyond their community. Most churches will support a various assortment of missionaries as well as the Central District Programs and related ministries (Hidden Acres—camping and conference center, Free Church Home—senior adult facilities.) top of page
Central District Relationships
Establish District ties
There is hopefully a very positive connection between the District and the new church because of the healthy relationships developed during the planting process. The District desires to serve and assist the new congregation. And the new church should become an interdependent member of the District by seeking to serve as well as taking advantage of what the District has to offer.
• The Superintendent can offer ministry and counsel for the new church.
• The Associate Superintendent of Care and Counseling can offer mentoring and other forms of guidance for the pastor.
• The CPM will continue to be a resource for the pastor and congregation, an encouragement and counselor for the leaders of the church. Members must consciously "let go" of the CPM and support the new pastor.
• Healthy Church Networks will be offered to the pastor
Annual evaluation by Central District Board of Directors
An Annual Health Checkup will be conducted and given to the Church Planting Board for the first five years of existence of the new church. The church leadership will discuss the 10 indicators of Church Health to see if they are on track with growth in areas like evangelism, missions, leadership development, and high impact worship.
Participate in District Events & Programs
The church has opportunity to participate in the Central District conference and the EFCA national leadership conference and the New Church Conference sponsored by the EFCA. The pastor of the church is invited to participate in the District Church Planting Retreat and Pastor/Wife Spiritual Refresher. Other ministries of the District and the EFCA are accessible to the new church.
Guidance in securing property/facilities
The District staff will provide guidance for purchasing land or building facilities that will enhance your ministry. Getting a good deal on property that is out in the country or too far away to facilitate the children’s ministry you hoped to have may not be such a good deal.
They will also present various options the church may consider for stewardship and financing property or facilities.
Churches have purchased existing church buildings or buildings that can be remodeled. Church construction methods have included stick-built, component buildings, brick and metal buildings. The District encourages churches to buy between 7 and 10 acres if possible in their ministry area.
Participate with new church plant
Reproduction will be encouraged by inviting the new church to partner with the Central District and the EFCA in various planting processes. The best of all possibilities is helping another group or being able to send a group from your church to help plant another church several communities away. top of page
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