our process


We believe healthy new churches don’t just happen; they emerge from healthy leaders walking through healthy processes.  We’re not into formulas for how that’s done, but we do commit ourselves to building these investments into everyone who plants with us.

relationship

            We aren’t just looking for warm bodies or gifted mercenaries.  We’re committed to being connected — spiritually and personally.  Church planting can be the most challenging ministry on earth, and nobody in the Synergy Network walks alone as they consider doing it.  Being relationally connected is at our very foundation.  We want to get to know each person God brings us together with as potential planters. 

            We invest in the person first, then explore the possible fit for teaming up through personal relationship.  If our connection doesn’t lead to an actual church planting initiative, we’re still brothers in the journey for Christ.

assessment

             Church planting isn’t for the faint of heart.  In fact, we sometimes say that friends don’t let friends plant churches.  Unless of course God is saying to do it.  So we provide high-level, deeply insightful processes for assessing each interested person’s reasons and readiness to plant a church. 

           We walk prospective planters through a top-flight assessment exercise to help you get an honest take on what you’re great at, what you need to address, and what church planting will expose in your heart, mind, and body.  If it’s not time, we’ll say so.  If it’s a cautious go, we’ll help you deal with the challenges head-on.  We’re committed to ‘what you do’ coming out of ‘who you are,’ not the other way around.






training

             The days of throwing church planters to the wolves with a how-to book under one arm and a Bible under the other are over, at least as far as we’re concerned. 

           Church planting is both the most amazing and the toughest kingdom-work there is, at the same time.  We offer resources before, during, and after the planting process to help you be as successful as you can possibly be in your effort. 

           We also offer a unique provision: the FEC Certificate of Theology — a one-of-a-kind partnership among three leading seminaries:  Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Bethel Seminary, and Denver Seminary — to provide Master's level seminary education to our planters.

birthing

             We walk with you every step of the way through conception, pre-natal, and birth of the new church.  Our commitment is to help you through the process of pulling a planting team together, training leaders, initiating missional outreach, gathering resources, establishing foundational teams and groups, and preparing a core to launch. 






resourcing

           We cover back-office support for financials, giving receipting, 501(c)(3) registration, retirement plan, and other organizational & administrative necessities.  As an FEC initiative, you’ll also have opportunity to present your endeavor to a broader body of churches and individuals who may choose to partner with you in prayer, manpower, and finances.

multiplication

              We collaborate to identify, develop, and raise up the next generation of leaders and church planters from within your new church.  We help every church plant do so with the idea to “plant pregnant,” imbedding the seeds of the next church plant into the very beginnings of the current one.

Our process in a nutshell

Want a quick summary of everything above?  Here's the basic process we'll walk through

with you as we explore the possibility of church planting together.