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| Saturday, June 21, 2008 |
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Fresh Starts
Church of God Ministries, Church of God - General
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Boot Camp reinvigorates pastors and church planters
By Susan Kane
 Church planting expert Phil Claycomb returned for a second year to lead “The Art of the Start,” a three-day workshop geared toward new church planters and church revitalization teams. More than twenty-five pastors, planters, and church leaders from across the country attended the conference, whose focus was not just on planting new churches but on providing the necessary tools for those desiring to turn struggling congregations around. “I have a burden for the decline of churches, not just Church of God churches, across the country,” shared Vanna Powell, from Madison, South Dakota. “It’s been helpful to find that there are others with a similar concern.”
The conference took attendees from the initial vision-casting stage of a church plant to the raising of financial support, the choosing of a leadership team, and the training of church leaders to be a part of a vital, missional church. Sessions included “Starting with the End in Mind,” “Navigating Culture,” “Launching with Momentum,” and “Creating Instant Community.” Among session leaders were Lance Ford, ShapeVine cofounder; Maurice “Mo” Hodge, pastor, the Bridge Community Church in Decatur, Indiana; Robin Wood, founder, Church Multiplication Association (CMA); and Steve Chiles, CMA coach.
Conference attendees came away from the experience refreshed and reinvigorated, ready to return to their communities poised with an enthusiasm for greater growth. “The boot camp has been very informative and has helped me realize that this is a process that doesn’t have to be done tomorrow, but in due time” said Allen Waid, of Mayfield, Kentucky. “This has helped me realize how much we need support from others in prayer and funding.”
Vision is at the very heart of great leadership. It is the picture of what God’s next step is for his church, and this type of conference provides avenues for those who have this vision. Church planters are the very heart of church planting without them, growth doesn’t happen. Matthew Maher, of Corpus Christi, Texas, summed the experience up well. “I have gained a great deal of understanding and insight about what it takes to plant a new church and to sustain the call of God on my life.”
A version of this article appears in the Sunday, June 22, 2008, edition of the NAC roundup/08 newsletter. To view the newsletter in its entirety, click here (3.80 MB). The document is in PDF format and requires Adobe Acrobat in order to read and/or print it. If you do not have Acrobat installed on your computer, you can download a free copy of Acrobat Reader here.
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