Ripe for Harvest

58 • R IPE FOR H ARVEST

V. Nurture: Mature the Church

1 Pet. 4.10 (ESV) - As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.

A. Principle: Leaders observe and practice their developing skills in a church with real people, identities and structures, under leadership that ensures consistent practices. 1. Leaders must be developed in the context of community, using the same theological, strategic, and Church practices that ensure replication from one church to another. For example, when an emerging leader learns how to serve communion at the mother church, s/he knows how to lead communion at the daughter church plant. 2. The contextualization of the standard Church practices must be designed to make it easy to train leaders and export to new churches. Structures facilitate and enable innovation.

B. Elements of Nurture

1. Use the Church Year calendar to disciple the congregation.

2. Train others to serve and lead through individual and group discipleship.

3. Encourage believers to exercise their gifts in the church.

4. Assign responsibility to the faithful (deacons, elders, future pastors).

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