How will you grow and disciple your launch team, leaders, and new believers?

This may seem like a premature question if all you’ve currently done is move into an area and are still in the information gathering phase. But a good planter is always thinking ahead. As followers of Jesus Christ, we never get to a point where we can afford to stop growing. Your launch team members should demonstrate a sincere commitment to their ongoing spiritual growth and development. Evidence of God’s indwelling Spirit should be seen in the lives of both the team members and the leadership. This same standard should be incorporated in the vision for the new church and for new believers. Missional activity is an excellent starting point to grow new believers. The extent of their effectiveness in missions may also uncover their leadership potential.

What will you teach them? How will you teach them? What materials will you use? These are all important considerations before you even launch a new church. Ultimately, it will determine what kind of church you are going to be. Here are some ways to stimulate growth in your launch team, leaders, and new believers in the early days.

1. Take a visit to another church in a similar area to yours. Make some time for your people to spend time with their leaders so that they can ask questions and learn as much as they can.

2. Make sure you build in a weekend away into your training. Nothing galvanises people quite like time away together. Book somebody to come in and do the teaching so it gives you extra time without the worry of having to work.

3. Encourage everybody to take responsibility for evangelism. Build a culture of every member evangelism into your DNA from the off. Then all the weight of expectation won’t be just on your shoulders.

4. Spend time with your leaders and make sure they are on board. Never make assumptions and never take people for granted. Leaders need to be kept in the loop and they need to feel listened to. Meet regularly for assessment and updates.

5. Have a general team meeting once a week and keep repeating your vision and goals for the work. Discuss the details for everything and plan outreaches and strategies for reaching the community. Make sure you include those who work full-time in these meetings, so in the early days make them at night after work.