Adapting AG's Church Multiplication Network for the COGOP

[EagerBeaver]

One of my friends in the choir at my church, James River Assembly, works at AG's US Headquarters as a project coordinator for a ministry called the Church Multiplication Network.

I went on their website and their mission, the way they operate, etc. is amazingly simple and effective.

Basically what the CMN does is help the AG in planting new churches across the US. From their about page, here's the full text of what they do:

The Church Multiplication Network is a simple idea… let’s all work together to plant as many churches as possible until the coming of the Lord!

Our first goal is MX9: 1000 church planted or committed to be planted by 2009. Where did that goal come from? God “interrupted” a session of the Executive Presbytery in January 2007. Nam Soo Kim, Pastor of Full Gospel Assembly of God in Flushing, New York suggested that the Assemblies of God was capable of planting significantly more churches at a much greater pace. He suggested that we challenge our “top 1000” churches to each plant a church in the next year. The conversation became energized by the thought of thousands of people coming to know the Lord through these anointed new churches. The seed of the Network was born.

Over the next several months, the structure of the Network began to emerge. One driving value that has guided the process of forming the Network is to work hard to add value to what is already in place. This is not a new program that calls for you to drop what you are doing and do something different. We want to add value to what you are already doing as well as help you attain new dreams that you aspire to.

In reality, every Assemblies of God church is already part of the Church Multiplication Network. All we ask is that you consider what you have that can be a blessing to others in their effort to plant new churches and make your provision available to others as you are able. We are convinced that we can do more together than we can ever do by ourselves! Here are some ways you might participate in the Network.

1. Form intentional prayer groups to pray for new church plants. An email prayer list subscription is available by clicking this link. Regular prayer needs from new church plants will be sent to the email inbox of those who subscribe.
2. Invest in the Church Multiplication Network Matching Fund Pool. This is a powerful way to invest your Missions/Church Planting dollars. The Matching Fund Pool is designed to be replenished from the fruit of the harvest. What that means for you as a donor is that any money you invest into the Pool will be used to plant new churches over and over again. In other words, your money will keep building the Kingdom until Jesus returns. Click on this link to learn more about why this works and how you can invest!
3. You can become a partner for a new church plant. Church Multiplication Network Partnership means that you agree to stand with the new church in prayer and financial support. Follow this link to learn more about being a “partner” in the Church Multiplication Network.
4. You can be a parent church. If you are already a parent church, we want to stand with you to plant more. Matching funds may be available to double the start up cash you have on hand. For example, if you have set aside $30,000 to invest in a new church plant, the Church Multiplication Network will provide $30,000 in matching funds (contingent on the availability of funds and eligibility) so that you and the new church plant will have a total of $60,000 for start up needs. Another valuable resource is FindNewChurch.com. Click here to visit FindNewChurch.com. If you are a church that aspires to become a parent church, the Church Multiplication Network is producing a continual stream of resources to help you learn from other successful parent churches. The Church Multiplication Network Podcast is an incredible resource where you can hear interviews with parent church pastors who lead churches similar to yours in size and cultural context. The "IdeaBlog" is an up to date stream of fresh ideas about planting a parenting.
5. You can be a church planter. Take some time to surf through this website. You will find a treasure trove of valuable resources available to Assemblies of God church planters.
6. You can be a part of the launch team of a new church plant. Visit FindNewChurch.com to discover opportunities where you can offer you gifts and talents to help a new church plant get off to a strong start!

Given what the CMN is helping do in the AG, and seeing COGOP's lack of success here in the US...would something like this be easy to implement in COGOP? Especially with the previous discussion of North America being added to the Helping Hands ministry in order to get more funds...ideas such as the CMN has, in my opinion, could help the COGOP grow in the US.

Also, what could we do to stabilize the churches we already have in place???

EDIT: Forgot to include a link: http://churchmultiplicationnetwork.ag.org

[paul]

One of my friends in the choir at my church, James River Assembly, works at AG's US Headquarters as a project coordinator for a ministry called the Church Multiplication Network.

I went on their website and their mission, the way they operate, etc. is amazingly simple and effective.

Basically what the CMN does is help the AG in planting new churches across the US. From their about page, here's the full text of what they do:

The Church Multiplication Network is a simple idea… let’s all work together to plant as many churches as possible until the coming of the Lord!

Our first goal is MX9: 1000 church planted or committed to be planted by 2009. Where did that goal come from? God “interrupted” a session of the Executive Presbytery in January 2007. Nam Soo Kim, Pastor of Full Gospel Assembly of God in Flushing, New York suggested that the Assemblies of God was capable of planting significantly more churches at a much greater pace. He suggested that we challenge our “top 1000” churches to each plant a church in the next year. The conversation became energized by the thought of thousands of people coming to know the Lord through these anointed new churches. The seed of the Network was born.

Over the next several months, the structure of the Network began to emerge. One driving value that has guided the process of forming the Network is to work hard to add value to what is already in place. This is not a new program that calls for you to drop what you are doing and do something different. We want to add value to what you are already doing as well as help you attain new dreams that you aspire to.

In reality, every Assemblies of God church is already part of the Church Multiplication Network. All we ask is that you consider what you have that can be a blessing to others in their effort to plant new churches and make your provision available to others as you are able. We are convinced that we can do more together than we can ever do by ourselves! Here are some ways you might participate in the Network.

1. Form intentional prayer groups to pray for new church plants. An email prayer list subscription is available by clicking this link. Regular prayer needs from new church plants will be sent to the email inbox of those who subscribe.
2. Invest in the Church Multiplication Network Matching Fund Pool. This is a powerful way to invest your Missions/Church Planting dollars. The Matching Fund Pool is designed to be replenished from the fruit of the harvest. What that means for you as a donor is that any money you invest into the Pool will be used to plant new churches over and over again. In other words, your money will keep building the Kingdom until Jesus returns. Click on this link to learn more about why this works and how you can invest!
3. You can become a partner for a new church plant. Church Multiplication Network Partnership means that you agree to stand with the new church in prayer and financial support. Follow this link to learn more about being a “partner” in the Church Multiplication Network.
4. You can be a parent church. If you are already a parent church, we want to stand with you to plant more. Matching funds may be available to double the start up cash you have on hand. For example, if you have set aside $30,000 to invest in a new church plant, the Church Multiplication Network will provide $30,000 in matching funds (contingent on the availability of funds and eligibility) so that you and the new church plant will have a total of $60,000 for start up needs. Another valuable resource is FindNewChurch.com. Click here to visit FindNewChurch.com. If you are a church that aspires to become a parent church, the Church Multiplication Network is producing a continual stream of resources to help you learn from other successful parent churches. The Church Multiplication Network Podcast is an incredible resource where you can hear interviews with parent church pastors who lead churches similar to yours in size and cultural context. The "IdeaBlog" is an up to date stream of fresh ideas about planting a parenting.
5. You can be a church planter. Take some time to surf through this website. You will find a treasure trove of valuable resources available to Assemblies of God church planters.
6. You can be a part of the launch team of a new church plant. Visit FindNewChurch.com to discover opportunities where you can offer you gifts and talents to help a new church plant get off to a strong start!

Given what the CMN is helping do in the AG, and seeing COGOP's lack of success here in the US...would something like this be easy to implement in COGOP? Especially with the previous discussion of North America being added to the Helping Hands ministry in order to get more funds...ideas such as the CMN has, in my opinion, could help the COGOP grow in the US.

Also, what could we do to stabilize the churches we already have in place???

Experience says that if it comes from outside the organization it would not be received whole heartlidy. Generally it would be altered, tweeked to fit the organizations own preceptions which generally is the reason for the lack of success. (IMHO)

[EagerBeaver]

Experience says that if it comes from outside the organization it would not be received whole heartlidy. Generally it would be altered, tweeked to fit the organizations own preceptions which generally is the reason for the lack of success. (IMHO)

You're right on that...but I feel that with Randy Howard at the GO position at HQ, he's got the global experience as World Missions Director to already do some things differently than the way they've been done in the past...and I sense an openness to new ideas and more visionary leadership.

I think COGOP as a whole would do well to realize its current system for church planting is for all intents and purposes broken, re-evaluate the areas of greatest need, even go so far as to shut down "money pit" churches and rebuild from the ground up in order to be successful in ministry, IMHO...

[dawgs10]

One of my friends in the choir at my church, James River Assembly, works at AG's US Headquarters as a project coordinator for a ministry called the Church Multiplication Network.

I went on their website and their mission, the way they operate, etc. is amazingly simple and effective.

Basically what the CMN does is help the AG in planting new churches across the US. From their about page, here's the full text of what they do:

The Church Multiplication Network is a simple idea… let’s all work together to plant as many churches as possible until the coming of the Lord!

Our first goal is MX9: 1000 church planted or committed to be planted by 2009. Where did that goal come from? God “interrupted” a session of the Executive Presbytery in January 2007. Nam Soo Kim, Pastor of Full Gospel Assembly of God in Flushing, New York suggested that the Assemblies of God was capable of planting significantly more churches at a much greater pace. He suggested that we challenge our “top 1000” churches to each plant a church in the next year. The conversation became energized by the thought of thousands of people coming to know the Lord through these anointed new churches. The seed of the Network was born.

Over the next several months, the structure of the Network began to emerge. One driving value that has guided the process of forming the Network is to work hard to add value to what is already in place. This is not a new program that calls for you to drop what you are doing and do something different. We want to add value to what you are already doing as well as help you attain new dreams that you aspire to.

In reality, every Assemblies of God church is already part of the Church Multiplication Network. All we ask is that you consider what you have that can be a blessing to others in their effort to plant new churches and make your provision available to others as you are able. We are convinced that we can do more together than we can ever do by ourselves! Here are some ways you might participate in the Network.

1. Form intentional prayer groups to pray for new church plants. An email prayer list subscription is available by clicking this link. Regular prayer needs from new church plants will be sent to the email inbox of those who subscribe.
2. Invest in the Church Multiplication Network Matching Fund Pool. This is a powerful way to invest your Missions/Church Planting dollars. The Matching Fund Pool is designed to be replenished from the fruit of the harvest. What that means for you as a donor is that any money you invest into the Pool will be used to plant new churches over and over again. In other words, your money will keep building the Kingdom until Jesus returns. Click on this link to learn more about why this works and how you can invest!
3. You can become a partner for a new church plant. Church Multiplication Network Partnership means that you agree to stand with the new church in prayer and financial support. Follow this link to learn more about being a “partner” in the Church Multiplication Network.
4. You can be a parent church. If you are already a parent church, we want to stand with you to plant more. Matching funds may be available to double the start up cash you have on hand. For example, if you have set aside $30,000 to invest in a new church plant, the Church Multiplication Network will provide $30,000 in matching funds (contingent on the availability of funds and eligibility) so that you and the new church plant will have a total of $60,000 for start up needs. Another valuable resource is FindNewChurch.com. Click here to visit FindNewChurch.com. If you are a church that aspires to become a parent church, the Church Multiplication Network is producing a continual stream of resources to help you learn from other successful parent churches. The Church Multiplication Network Podcast is an incredible resource where you can hear interviews with parent church pastors who lead churches similar to yours in size and cultural context. The "IdeaBlog" is an up to date stream of fresh ideas about planting a parenting.
5. You can be a church planter. Take some time to surf through this website. You will find a treasure trove of valuable resources available to Assemblies of God church planters.
6. You can be a part of the launch team of a new church plant. Visit FindNewChurch.com to discover opportunities where you can offer you gifts and talents to help a new church plant get off to a strong start!

Given what the CMN is helping do in the AG, and seeing COGOP's lack of success here in the US...would something like this be easy to implement in COGOP? Especially with the previous discussion of North America being added to the Helping Hands ministry in order to get more funds...ideas such as the CMN has, in my opinion, could help the COGOP grow in the US.

Also, what could we do to stabilize the churches we already have in place???

Experience says that if it comes from outside the organization it would not be received whole heartlidy. Generally it would be altered, tweeked to fit the organizations own preceptions which generally is the reason for the lack of success. (IMHO)

its my understanding that we have seen a large bump up in new organized churchs in north america between assemblies and the direction that we are going seems to be helping north america alot. the north american presb. office is doing a good job at turning the tide for cogop. my vote would be to give it some time. if its working lets not mess with it.

[Blended]

its my understanding that we have seen a large bump up in new organized churchs in north america between assemblies and the direction that we are going seems to be helping north america alot. the north american presb. office is doing a good job at turning the tide for cogop. my vote would be to give it some time. if its working lets not mess with it.

dawgs check the koolaid before you drink hispanic churches have been added but very few congregations of any decent size have been added and fewer yet that are financially stable it is a perpetuation in most places of the same old stuff.

[Pastor Gary]

I am not sure that I agree with this strategy. This is an ongoing point of debate between me a few friends.

Do you really believe there is a lack of churches in the U.S.? I drive past churches all the time that have half-filled parking lots and, I suppose, plenty of empty seats.

I suspect that I could take a T-shirt cannon and fire it in any direction and hit a church building. There are already plenty of churches, and plenty of unchurched people to fill them, and starting thousands of new churches will do little to change that.

Instead of putting efforts and resources to start new churches, how about putting efforts and resources into renewing and revitalizing half-empty churches?

[dawgs10]

its my understanding that we have seen a large bump up in new organized churchs in north america between assemblies and the direction that we are going seems to be helping north america alot. the north american presb. office is doing a good job at turning the tide for cogop. my vote would be to give it some time. if its working lets not mess with it.

dawgs check the koolaid before you drink hispanic churches have been added but very few congregations of any decent size have been added and fewer yet that are financially stable it is a perpetuation in most places of the same old stuff.

dont think its a good thing to label churchs hispanic and so on. a church in north america is just that. mybe you should read the reports. facts are facts.

[dawgs10]

I am not sure that I agree with this strategy. This is an ongoing point of debate between me a few friends.

Do you really believe there is a lack of churches in the U.S.? I drive past churches all the time that have half-filled parking lots and, I suppose, plenty of empty seats.

I suspect that I could take a T-shirt cannon and fire it in any direction and hit a church building. There are already plenty of churches, and plenty of unchurched people to fill them, and starting thousands of new churches will do little to change that.

Instead of putting efforts and resources to start new churches, how about putting efforts and resources into renewing and revitalizing half-empty churches?

BINGO!!!!!!!! could you please forward that to as many state overseers as possible!!!!!

[dolfan]

I don't disagree, but Bill Hybels has said (and, of course, every case is different), that it is generally easier to start a new church than to try and reform an existing one. How do you do the algebra to make the decision of one versus the other?

[dawgs10]

I don't disagree, but Bill Hybels has said (and, of course, every case is different), that it is generally easier to start a new church than to try and reform an existing one. How do you do the algebra to make the decision of one versus the other?

it is exactly as he says. ask pastor daniel how hard it is to rebuild a existing one. but i have seen both sides and it is hard to do either. almost impossible in the southeast with a church on every corner. new is the quickest way to see growth.

[dolfan]

almost impossible in the southeast with a church on every corner.

Oh, I know, believe me. Decatur, Alabama has chewed up and spit out some pretty good church planters and reformers. Folks here like it the way it is, and when someone else has a good idea that they adopt, it has to be cast as their idea and not someone else's (unless, that is, the someone-else's-idea has high status attached to it, i.e., the opening only last year of a Starbucks here and just-now getting a Chili's built and you'd have thought Jesus was opening the Target).

[Pastor Gary]

I don't disagree, but Bill Hybels has said (and, of course, every case is different), that it is generally easier to start a new church than to try and reform an existing one. How do you do the algebra to make the decision of one versus the other?

Of course it is; it's easier (and much more fun) to make a baby than bring a patient off the death bed and revive them. Can it be done? I believe so. I believe I have proved it so.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each of them. For me, I have a problem with the "let's just go start some new churches" strategy because it is seldom a zero-sum game; most new churches say they are not out to raid old churches, but I have yet to see a start-up that is 100% new converts. It's a noble goal, but --in truth -- start-ups cherry pick some of the best and brightest leaders from existing churches, crippling them while they build the new thing.

We are called to be fishers of men, not to swap fish between aquariums.

[KBevangelist]

We are called to be fishers of men, not to swap fish between aquariums.

I have to agree with Gary on this. Simply because in COGOP that is what happens alot between the close churches. They just swap fish.

Evangelism is a lost art in COGOP

KB

[dolfan]

I don't disagree, but Bill Hybels has said (and, of course, every case is different), that it is generally easier to start a new church than to try and reform an existing one. How do you do the algebra to make the decision of one versus the other?

Of course it is; it's easier (and much more fun) to make a baby than bring a patient off the death bed and revive them. Can it be done? I believe so. I believe I have proved it so.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each of them. For me, I have a problem with the "let's just go start some new churches" strategy because it is seldom a zero-sum game; most new churches say they are not out to raid old churches, but I have yet to see a start-up that is 100% new converts. It's a noble goal, but --in truth -- start-ups cherry pick some of the best and brightest leaders from existing churches, crippling them while they build the new thing.

We are called to be fishers of men, not to swap fish between aquariums.

And, that, I think is the biggest objection I have with the strategy, too. It is invariably the case as you say. Another dilemma is what kind of shepherd is it that prefers to hunt down new sheep without tending to the needs of the ones in the fold? If you're a start-up and your pastor is not a church-planter-at-heart by experience or calling, do you want to follow and be lead by someone who is going to abandon you when the next "big thing" somewhere else happens?? The commitment level, in my experience, has been demonstrably weak when guys are eager to launch a new deal instead of working the core from inside, doing the hard work of ferreting out the groundbreakers. Then, again, I'm not asked to make that commitment personally so I can't judge too harshly.

[Pianoman]

Given what the CMN is helping do in the AG, and seeing COGOP's lack of success here in the US...would something like this be easy to implement in COGOP?

I'd say no. $$$$$$ (or the lack of!!!!!)

Add that to the shortage of available workers (or the
shortage of willing workers?) .. and double no.

Nice - yes. Easy - no.

Instead of putting efforts and resources to start new churches, how about putting efforts and resources into renewing and revitalizing half-empty churches?

Pastor G - care to elaborate? I like the concept - but wander what the "how" is?