Outline of New Beginnings Process

The New Beginnings process takes about six to eight months. After submitting an application for the service, a congregation provides profile information of its current participants. The congregation also is asked to submit video of a recent worship service, financial reports for the last three years and insurance information.

Phase I: Your regional or area staff and a New Beginnings consultant will schedule a time to meet at your church for an on-site assessment. The assessment includes a complete building inspection, financial review with the church finance officer, a “windshield tour” of the community, meeting with the moderator and pastor and an Appreciative Inquiry session with congregational and regional leaders. The assessment helps the consultant and the regional and congregational leaders to understand the programmatic and missional strengths of each church. Your congregation will receive a 30-40 page report of this visit, including:

• Congregational demographics and tenure
• Community demographics
• A pin map showing location of membership
• Financial history and analysis
• Building condition and attractiveness to visitors
• Congregational appetite for change
• Potential strategies for mission

Phase II: Within two months of the visit, congregational leaders will be trained to interpret the report and lead a discernment process with the congregation. In most cases, five to eight key leaders from your congregation will attend a training event for a cluster of New Beginnings congregations in your region or area. This gathering enables the leaders to analyze their report, explore options, begin to develop a compelling vision for the congregation’s future, and strategize about how to best engage the congregation in a decision-making process. Pastors participate in a short course entitled, “Leading Change in Congregations.”

Phase III: In weekly small-group meetings, the key leaders will direct the congregation through the discernment process. This process will enable a congregation to make a formal “big-picture” decision about what it believes God is calling the church to do and be into the future.

Phase IV: After this decision for a New Beginning is adopted, Church Extension will work with the region/area to refer the pastor and key leaders to available mission-planning resources.