Ripe for Harvest

188 • R IPE FOR H ARVEST

Prepare: Be the Church Exercise Guidelines

I. Definition: The first phase of church planting which involves forming a team of called members who ready themselves to plant a church under the Holy Spirit’s direction.

II. Purpose of the exercise: to brainstorm and discuss how you might: A. Seek God regarding the target population and community. B. Seek God regarding the formation of your church plant team, the initial church which community believers can join. C. Select reproducible models to contextualize standard church practices. D. Initiate discussions about associations, denominations, or other affiliations.

III. Relationship to Parent-Child metaphor: Decision and Conception

IV. Question focus for your team’s dialog in this exercise: A. Questions about preparing your team to be the church

B. Questions about the target community C. Questions about reproducible models D. Questions about associations or affiliations

V. Cardinal virtue for PREPARATION phase: openness to the Lord’s direction and leading.

VI. Critical vices for PREPARATION phase: A. Presumption in regard to what God wants and thinks B. “Paralysis of analysis”: missing God’s timing to go forward by over-focus on getting ready to act.

Context Values/Vision Prepare Launch Assemble Nurture Transition Schedule/Charter

VII. The bottom line: Cultivate a period of listening and reflecting.