mtg notes

Church Planting Focus Group Summation – January 13, 2009

1. each person shared their connect with planting.
2. two new church plants and planters shared their dream 1) South Loop – Doug Harris and 2) Arlington Heights -Mike Handler/Mark Larsen.
3. desire every other month meetings to keep this passionate
4. desire a website/blog and keeping the relationship tight between the region dreamers
5. desire national approach and system to planting from the General Council
6. Bootcamp with District investment for husband and wife is appreciated and helpful
7. Bootcamp suggestion was to add to it some current church planters (1-9 years) to help understand current conditions of planting: it would simply add to the good, encouraging veteran planters (ie. Planters 20 years ago). Great to get away and dream about it together. Coaches were encouragers and appreciated them.
8. District packet of information is not enough... relationship attached to the packet will help...but more system can help.
9. ideas to have a "menu" system with spirit led freedom and empowerment with expected strong relational connects to the planters from supporting churches
10. supporting churches want more influence in affirming an "A" type planter in addition to the tests, boot camp, etc.
11. seems to be a disconnect in that the churches needed to support a planter has the potential of no influence or determining input on whether the planter has what it takes.
12. must change the current perspective and environment to a inviting, welcoming, supporting system.
13. desire to eventually pursue planters from outside Chicago (colleges, other districts, etc.)
14. frustration with the current strategy in the financial support of the district
15. desire for larger amounts of gifts ($30,000, $50-$60,000, $100,000)....Ohio, Iowa ref.
16. desire for salary support not just building support
17. a need for the old paradigm to change of wanting only to invest in the brick/mortar and change to investing into the person/thus larger amounts that allow for salary
18. understanding exists that there must be accountability and that failures have happened in the past
19. $500/month is the same amount used for several years and $500 doesn't buy the same after 9+ years
20. Need to vary the amount of plant gifts due to some geographic locations are more costly
21. support the accountability to tithe, don’t understand the passing of checks in the mail regards tithe/monthly support
22. idea to allow planters to tithe with accountability to their church plant for x amount of years and possibly add a climbing scale back to full tithe to the district over x amount of years. (idea: first 3 years to the plant…graduating scale next 7 years back to full tithe to the district) - one shared people in plant that wanted credentials but didn’t want to hurt the church by not giving their tithe to the church
23. perception rose that district is worth $20 million due to the financial report (may need to clarify what is liquid and what is equity)
24. concern to sell off properties of closed churches to help plant new ones
25. find $100,000 plus from the current IDCAG budget
26. idea of having someone for the district – just for planting (full time, part time, contracted)
27. willingness to embrace other church planting groups strategy, ie. Arc